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).
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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 October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 3, 2024 · about 8:37 pm local time
- Place
- Goose Bay, Alaska · Goose Bay · 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 ANC24LA072.