Piper PA 18-150 accident near Cantwell, Alaska, September 17, 2014
On September 17, 2014 at about 10:00 pm local time, a 1955 Piper PA 18-150, registered N1879P, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Cantwell, Alaska. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's loss of directional control during takeoff from an off-airport site, which resulted in a collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 17, 2014 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Cantwell, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 18-150 A150, built 1955 · all PA 18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N1879P · registry record · serial 18-4158
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported he was departing from a remote airstrip in a 3-4 knot left crosswind. After the airplane started its takeoff roll, it drifted left of the planned takeoff path and into low lying brush adjacent to the airstrip. The pilot continued the takeoff roll while correcting to the right with no results. The airplane became airborne, without enough airspeed to maintain flight. The airplane descended downhill and impacted brush and terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff defining event
- Runway excursion during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
- Collision during takeoff/land during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 3,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 12, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Other crew
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 B2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Cantwell AK
- Destination: PALH Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft; a few clouds at 1,600 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.36 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from PAEC, 46 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N1879P the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.