Piper PA-18-150 accident near Willow, Alaska, June 3, 2025
On June 3, 2025 at about 5:30 pm local time, a 1963 Piper PA-18-150, registered N3994Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Willow, Alaska (Willow airport). It was an instructional 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 flight instructor’s delayed remedial action/lack of supervision. Contributing to the accident was the pilot receiving instructions failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a ground loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 3, 2025 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Willow, Alaska · Willow · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150, built 1963 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N3994Z · registry record · serial 18-7943
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor, seated in the rear seat, stated that he and the pilot receiving instruction, seated in the front seat, were practicing landings in a tailwheel-equipped airplane. The purpose of the flight was for the pilot that was receiving instruction to obtain a tailwheel endorsement. During the landing rollout, gusting wind conditions lifted the left wing and the pilot receiving instruction applied right rudder, but the airplane continued to the right. The flight instructor then applied more right rudder; however, the airplane ground looped and sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The instructor pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the pilot was landing on runway 13 with wind from 080° at 9 knots, gusting to 16 knots.
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 (landing roll) defining event
- Other weather encounter during landing (landing roll)
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other person › Instructor/check pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,680 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 100 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 3, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 250 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Blue River Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: AAQ Palmer AK at 4:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 4,400 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 9 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,500 ft; scat at 4,800 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 am from AWS, 18 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PAWS 031656Z AUTO 08009G16KT 060V120 10SM SCT048 OVC065 09/01 A2993 RMK AO2 RAE56 SLP137 P0000 T00940006
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – View of bottom of right wing and right side of fuselage
Photograph 2 – View of damage to the top of the right wing.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
3 documents, released by the NTSB on April 2, 2026. 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 | Flight Instructor's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | 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.
Other NTSB records under N3994Z 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.