Piper PA-18 accident near Valdez, Alaska, April 5, 1987
On April 5, 1987 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N9073D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Valdez, Alaska (Valdez 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 5, 1987 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Valdez, Alaska · Valdez · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N9073D · registry record · serial 18-6439
- 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 COULD NOT KEEP THE SKI EQUIPPED AIRCRAFT FROM BANKING TO THE LEFT AFTER TAKE OFF AND ELECTED TO REDUCE POWER AND LAND. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN THE LEFT WING TIP STRUCK THE GROUND AND CARTWHEELED DURING THE LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN FLOWN THE PRECEEDING DAY WITHOUT INCIDENT OR MALFUNCTION AND HAD BEEN PARKED OUTSIDE DURING A SNOW STORM PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT. A POST ACCIDENT FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY CHECK DISCOVERED NO ABNORMALITIES.
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: 1,036 hours in all; 232 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 1,036 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,556 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 15, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N9073D the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 ANC87LA058.