Piper PA 18-150 accident near Cordova, Alaska, October 9, 2014
On October 9, 2014 at about 2:00 am local time, a 1979 Piper PA 18-150, registered N82448, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Cordova, Alaska. It was a business 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 pilots decision to land and failure to maintain control of the airplane during landing in gusty wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 9, 2014 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Cordova, 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 1979 · all PA 18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N82448 · registry record · serial 18-7909099
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was landing at a remote, off-airport site in a tailwheel-equipped airplane. He stated it was an area he was familiar with and was aware of the approaching weather. As he was about to land he said that a heavy rain shower was developing with gusty wind conditions. Just before landing a gust picked up his right wing which lowered his left wing into brush, causing the airplane to ground loop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left and right wing tips, and fuselage. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot stated in the recommendation section of the NTSB Accident Reporting Form 6120.1, that the accident could have been prevented if he had waited for the rain shower and wind conditions to decrease before landing.
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
- Runway excursion during landing defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Weather planning › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Lateral/bank control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 27,115 hours in all; 15,990 in this make and model; 265 in the last 90 days; 128 in the last 30 days; 28,021 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 15, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,063 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 20, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 674 hours total
- Operator: Fejes Guide Service LTD
The flight
- Departed from: Tsiu Lodge AK
- Destination: Cordova AK
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 25 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N82448 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.