Piper PA-18-135 accident near Palmer, Alaska, July 11, 2025
On July 11, 2025, a 1954 Piper PA-18-135, registered N27293, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Palmer, Alaska (River Bed airport). 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 excessive braking during the landing roll, resulting in a nose over. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to continue the landing after determining the landing area was unsuitable.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 11, 2025
- Place
- Palmer, Alaska · River Bed · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-135, built 1954 · all PA-18-135s on the register
- Registration
- N27293 · registry record · serial 18-3367
- 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 a tailwheel-equipped airplane at a remote off airport site, he added power twice to clear areas of rough terrain just before touchdown. When the airplane eventually touched down, it bounced and continued further down the site. During the second touchdown, as the landing roll continued, the pilot realized that there was not ample room to stop the airplane before reaching the end of the site, so he applied heavy braking action. The airplane subsequently nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the rudder and left wing lift 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
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll) defining event
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 › Performance/control parameters › Surface speed/braking › Incorrect use/operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 362 hours in all; 323 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 238 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 29, 2025
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,084 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 25, 2025; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 A2B (piston); 1,299 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LHD Anchorage AK at 10:04 pm
- Destination: LHD Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 10 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft; scat at 8,500 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.74 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from AAQ, 16 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PAAQ 102353Z 13010G18KT 10SM SCT085 OVC100 14/05 A2974 RMK AO2 SLP073 T01440050 10150 20128 58013
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Image of fuselage, left wing, and lift strut
Photograph 2 – Image of right wing, fuselage, and empennageThe 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 January 9, 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 | 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 N27293 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.