Piper PA-18-150 accident near Koliganek, Alaska, July 9, 2024
On July 9, 2024 at about 4:10 am local time, a 1989 Piper PA-18-150, registered N243AK, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Koliganek, 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 improper landing flare and an improper recovery from a bounced landing, resulting in a loss of directional control, and a subsequent nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 2024 · about 4:10 am local time
- Place
- Koliganek, 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 1989 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N243AK · registry record · serial 1809010
- 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 he was practicing off-airport takeoffs and landings in a tailwheel-equipped airplane. The pilot selected a landing site located on a ridgeline and assessed the ridge and wind conditions prior to attempting to land. On his first landing attempt he landed long and aborted the landing to set up for another attempt. On the second landing, the pilot landed long again, but did not initially attempt a go around. During the landing roll, the airplane bounced about 15 ft in the air, and then the pilot applied full power to abort the landing; however, the airplane was too slow, and the pilot lost directional control. The airplane subsequently struck the ground in a nose low, left wing low attitude, resulting in a nose over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing, fuselage and empennage. The pilot reported no pre-impact 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
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Landing area overshoot during landing (aborted after touchdown)
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (aborted after touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,107 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 184 in the last 90 days; 96 in the last 30 days; 5,107 as pilot in command; 88 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 31, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (waiver time limited special)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,645 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 2, 2023; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAJZ Koliganek AK at 2:30 am
- Destination: PADL Dillingham AK
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 am from AJZ
Weather report (METAR): PAJZ 081656Z AUTO 17006KT 7SM CLR 12/09 A3004 RMK AO2 SLP177 T01220094 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – View of Accident Airplane
Photograph 2 – View of Accident Airplane Tail
Photograph 3 – View of Damage to left wingThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on April 8, 2025. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 5 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.