Piper PA-18-150 accident near Palmer, Alaska, March 2, 2025
On March 2, 2025 at about 11:30 pm local time, a 1970 Piper PA-18-150, registered N6999, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Palmer, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain an appropriate airspeed during the landing approach, which resulted in exceedance of the critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall, during gusting wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 2, 2025 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Palmer, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150, built 1970 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N6999 · registry record · serial 18-8881
- 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 on short final to a remote gravel airstrip, and just prior to touch down, a gust of wind made his approach feel unstable. The pilot attempted to abort the landing, but the wind gust decreased, and the airplane stalled and landed hard. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident 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
- Loss of control in flight during landing
- Hard landing during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Understanding/comprehension › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 894.4 hours in all; 119.5 in this make and model; 21.6 in the last 90 days; 7.7 in the last 30 days; 484.5 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 18, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,776.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 15, 2024; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 5,320 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PABV Chugiak AK at 11:00 pm
- Destination: PABV Chugiak AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 18 knots, gusting 31
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.83 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from PAAQ, 9 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PAAQ 022253Z 14018G31KT 10SM FEW080 09/M02 A2983 RMK AO2 PK WND 12036/2154 SLP105 T00941022
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 July 17, 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.
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.