Piper PA18 accident near Goose Bay, Alaska, August 3, 2024
On August 3, 2024 at about 8:37 pm local time, a 1975 Piper PA18, registered N9697P, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Goose Bay, Alaska (Goose Bay airport). 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 directional control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 3, 2024 · about 8:37 pm local time · cases in 2024
- Place
- Goose Bay, Alaska · Goose Bay · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA18 150, built 1975 · all PA18s on the register
- Registration
- N9697P · registry record · serial 18-7509040
- 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, while landing, when the tailwheel touched down, the airplane began to veer left. The pilot attempted to correct the veer and applied brakes; however, the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing strut. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident 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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 187 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 127 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 27, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,386 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 92 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 1,267 as pilot in command; 321 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 21, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 50 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PALH Anchorage AK at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 08/2, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 16,000 ft; scat at 13,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.27 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 am from AED, 7 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PAED 031055Z 00000KT 10SM SCT130 BKN160 13/10 A3027 RMK AO2A SLP246 T01250095
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The 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 June 5, 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 2 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N9697P on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Piper PA-18 Super Cub 3,620 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,842 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 27,303 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Goose Bay Airport · nearest airport
- Lake Hood Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Alaska 5,932 since 1982 · 825 in the last ten years
- Alaska 9,142 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ANC24LA072.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.