Piper PA 18-150 accident near Talkeetna, Alaska, July 22, 2015
On July 22, 2015 at about 4:00 am local time, a 1963 Piper PA 18-150, registered N323DH, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Talkeetna, Alaska. It was a positioning 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 inadequate compensation for wind conditions, and improper recovery from a bounced landing resulting in a loss of control and collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 22, 2015 · about 4:00 am local time
- Place
- Talkeetna, 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 A150, built 1963 · all PA 18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N323DH · registry record · serial 18-7939
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported he was landing a tailwheel-equipped airplane on a rough and uneven, vegetation covered, off-airport site. The pilot said that during the approach, just prior to touchdown the airplane encountered a wind shift and increase in wind speed, resulting in a strong downdraft. The pilot applied full power in an effort to correct for the downdraft, but the airplane touched down much harder than anticipated and bounced, rotating 90 degrees before impacting a berm and nosing down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies 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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Downdraft › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,600 hours in all; 2,150 in this make and model; 266 in the last 90 days; 154 in the last 30 days; 19,550 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 17, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,344 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 21, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 1,376 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Talkeetna AK
- Destination: Talkeetna AK
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.73 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 am from PATK
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.
Other NTSB records under N323DH 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.