Piper PA-18-150 accident near Kenai, Alaska, January 2, 2023
On January 2, 2023 at about 2:57 pm local time, a 1962 Piper PA-18-150, registered N94X, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Kenai, Alaska (Mcgahan Industrial airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing in flat light conditions, resulting in the airplane to nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 2, 2023 · about 2:57 pm local time
- Place
- Kenai, Alaska · Mcgahan Industrial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150, built 1962 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N94X · registry record · serial 18-7858
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, during landing on a road in flat light conditions he drifted to the right after touching down and the right tire struck unplowed snow. The pilot was unable to correct, and the airplane continued to the right into a snow berm. Subsequently, it nosed over sustaining substantial damage to the wings, lift struts, and rudder. The pilot reported no preimpact 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 landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Capability exceeded
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Flat light › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 778 hours in all; 320 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 750 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 9, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 25, 2022; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 1 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ENA Kenai AK at 2:45 pm
- Destination: AK73 Nikiski AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast; not recorded
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 2896.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:57 pm
Weather report (METAR): SA 03/01/2023 01:53->METAR PAEN 030153Z 12006KT 10SM BKN100 02/M01 A2903 RMK AO2 SLP831 T00221011=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on March 30, 2023. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC23LA011.