Piper PA-18-150 accident near Birchwood, Alaska, April 30, 1982
On April 30, 1982 at about 6:04 am local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N57617, was substantially damaged in an accident near Birchwood, Alaska (Birchwood airport). 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 30, 1982 · about 6:04 am local time
- Place
- Birchwood, Alaska · Birchwood · 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 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N57617 · registry record · serial 187709125
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER MAKING ONE TAKEOFF AND LANDING, THE PILOT ELECTED TO DO A SHORT FIELD TAKEOFF. HE HELD THE BRAKES AND APPLIED FULL THROTTLE. HIS RIGHT FOOT SLIPPED OFF THE RIGHT BRAKE AND THE AIRCRAFT TURNED SHARPLY TO THE LEFT. DURING THE TURN, THE AIRCRAFT WENT UP ON ITS RIGHT WING WHICH RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 87 hours in all; 16 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 44 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 448 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,625 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Z15 Birchwood AK at 10:00 pm
- Destination: Z15 Birchwood AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 4,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 113°F (45°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N57617 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.