Piper PA-18-150 accident near Skwentna, Alaska, July 6, 2012
On July 6, 2012 at about 8:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N623JE, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Skwentna, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's selection of an unsuitable off-airport landing site, which resulted in a loss of control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 6, 2012 · about 8:40 pm local time
- Place
- Skwentna, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N623JE · registry record · serial 18-8272
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was landing his tailwheel-equipped airplane at an off-airport site when the left main landing gear hit a hole and the airplane ground looped, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot said that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with airplane.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › (general) › Awareness of condition
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 1,700 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Anchorage AK
- Destination: Skwentna AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,500 ft; a few clouds at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from PATK, 37 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.