Piper PA-18-150 accident near Skwenta, Alaska, January 28, 2022
On January 28, 2022 at about 8:30 pm local time, a 1960 Piper PA-18-150, registered N189BH, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Skwenta, Alaska. It was a personal 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 failure to maintain adequate clearance from a tree while landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 28, 2022 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Skwenta, 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, built 1960 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N189BH · no longer on the register · serial 18-7322
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the ski equipped airplane reported that, during landing at an off-airport landing site, the airplane drifted towards a tree. The pilot increased the throttle and attempted to lift the wing over the tree to no avail. The airplane impacted the tree sustaining substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no pre-accident 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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 410 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,000 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 3,000 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAGQ Big Lake AK at 7:00 pm
- Destination: PAGQ Big Lake AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 11 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.32 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 am from PAWS, 12 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PAWS 282056Z AUTO 07011G21KT 030V100 10SM FEW075 M01/M09 A2932 RMK AO2 SLP934 T10061094 51008 FZRANO
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 NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check 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.