Piper PA-18-150 accident near Palmer, Alaska, December 25, 2024
On December 25, 2024 at about 1:00 am local time, a 1960 Piper PA-18-150, registered N3802Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Palmer, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper airspeed management which resulted in a bounced landing and insufficient airspeed to perform a go around procedure.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 25, 2024 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Palmer, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150, built 1960 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N3802Z · registry record · serial 18-7535
- 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 landing in an open field with a raised driveway that crossed the landing surface. The driveway was about two feet higher than the landing surface. The airplane was landing into a left quartering headwind that was about 15 to 20 mph. The pilot said he was planning to touchdown just after the driveway, but just prior to reaching the driveway the airplane lost the headwind and descended. The airplane touched down prior to the driveway and it bounced when it crossed over the raised driveway. The pilot attempted to go around, but did not have sufficient airspeed. The pilot then continued the landing and the airplane’s right lift strut impacted a parked car, and a trailer, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing lift struts. 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
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Landing area undershoot during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Landing distance › Capability exceeded
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusion › Situational awareness › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 20 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 1,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 11, 2022
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 16, 2024
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAWS Wasilla AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 28.84 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from PAAQ, 3 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PAAQ 250053Z 36009KT 10SM CLR M01/M07 A2884 RMK AO2 SLP771 T10061072 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures 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 13, 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 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 3 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.
Other NTSB records under N3802Z the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.