Wag Aero SPORTSMAN accident near Cordova, Alaska, March 30, 2026
On March 30, 2026 at about 10:45 pm local time, a 2005 Wag Aero SPORTSMAN, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N212PX, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Cordova, Alaska (Cordova Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s decision to land on an unsuitable snow-covered runway and his failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll which resulted in a nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 30, 2026 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Cordova, Alaska · Cordova Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Wag Aero SPORTSMAN 2 PLUS 2, built 2005, amateur-built
- Registration
- N212PX · registry record · serial 1133
- 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, during the landing roll on a snow-covered runway in a tailwheel-equipped airplane, the main landing gear wheels encountered soft snow and the airplane nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the rudder, wings, wing struts, and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no pre-accident 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
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Snow/slush/ice covered surface › Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 91.4 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 2.6 in the last 90 days; 1.2 in the last 30 days; 36.4 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 14, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 687.3 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, May 6, 2025; 28.4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VDZ Valdez AK at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 1,800 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 14°F (-10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 2:00 am from PACV, 9 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR PACV 300953Z 00000KT 10SM CLR M08/M10 A3006 RMK AO2 SLP179 T10831100
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC26LA023.