Piper PA-18A 150 accident near Susitna, Alaska, May 23, 2025
On May 23, 2025 at about 3:10 am local time, a Piper PA-18A 150, registered N1364C, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Susitna, 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 encounter with shifting winds during landing, which resulted in a loss of airspeed and altitude, and subsequent contact with water.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 23, 2025 · about 3:10 am local time
- Place
- Susitna, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18A 150 · all PA-18A 150s on the register
- Registration
- N1364C · registry record · serial 18-2613
- 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 on landing approach to a remote river sandbar in gusty wind conditions, the headwind rapidly decreased and the airplane lost airspeed and began to descend. The pilot applied full engine power in an attempt to arrest the descent; however, the wheels contacted the water, and the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing struts. The pilot reported 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
- Abnormal runway contact 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
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Sudden wind shift › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,127 hours in all; 450 in this make and model; 118 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 5,127 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 25, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,800 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 14, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290 SERIES (piston); 345 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PALH Anchorage AK at 2:00 am
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 9,500 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from AWS, 27 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PAWS 230256Z AUTO VRB03KT 10SM OVC095 13/01 A2990 RMK AO2 SLP128 T01280011 58008
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 October 23, 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | 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.