Piper PA-18-150 accident near Tyonek, Alaska, August 15, 2023
On August 15, 2023 at about 9:30 pm local time, a 1963 Piper PA-18-150, registered N3995Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Tyonek, 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s encounter with windshear during the initial climb, which resulted in a loss of control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 15, 2023 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Tyonek, 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 1963 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N3995Z · registry record · serial 18-7944
- 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 climb-out from a remote airstrip, he encountered an abrupt wind shift and windshear. According to the pilot, the airplane was unable to gain altitude and was eventually “forced” into the ground, causing substantial damage to the left wing, left horizontal stabilizer, and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Weather planning › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Climb rate › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Windshear › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 596 hours in all; 545.8 in this make and model; 524 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 24, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,524.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 15, 2023; 56.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: PABV Chugiak AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; a few clouds at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.78 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from ANC, 36 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PANC 152053Z 03003KT 10SM FEW010 SCT120 BKN200 16/11 A2978 RMK AO2 SLP084 T01560106 58010
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 ANC23LA066.