Piper PA-18-150 accident near St Mary'S, Alaska, September 14, 2025
On September 14, 2025 at about 7:30 pm local time, a 1960 Piper PA-18-150, registered N3797Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near St Mary'S, 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 decision to takeoff with a tailwind, from a short off-airport strip, which degraded the climb performance of the airplane and led to impact with trees at the end of the strip.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 14, 2025 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- St Mary'S, 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
- N3797Z · registry record · serial 18-7492
- 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 attempted to depart from a 200 yard long, remote airstrip, downhill with a tailwind in a tailwheel equipped airplane. The airplane lifted off the ground but impacted alders at the end of the strip. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. 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
- Collision during takeoff/land during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Takeoff distance › Capability exceeded
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 2,105 hours in all; 1,564 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 2,071 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 6, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,227 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 25, 2025; 64 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A2A (piston); 421 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,700 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.99 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 am from PASM, 16 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR PASM 141956Z AUTO 36004KT 10SM FEW027 04/M01 A2999 RMK AO2 SLP166 T00441006=
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 May 22, 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 | 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 N3797Z 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.