Piper PA-18 accident near Girdwood, Alaska, January 21, 1989
On January 21, 1989 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N4280Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Girdwood, Alaska. 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TAKEOFF FROM A SLOPED TERRAIN THAT WAS TOO STEEP FOR A SAFE OPERATION. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE DOWNHILL, ICY TERRAIN CONDITIONS AND THE PILOT'S OVERCONFIDENCE IN BOTH HIS AND THE AIRPLANE'S ABILITY..
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 21, 1989 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Girdwood, Alaska · 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
- N4280Z · registry record · serial 188528
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT LANDED UP-SLOPE ON A GLACIER AND WAS TURNING TO TAKEOFF DOWN-SLOPE WHEN TAILWIND AND 10-20 DEGREE SLOPE CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO TURN THROUGH THE DESIRED TAKEOFF HEADING, AND TO SLIDE SIDEWAYS. THE RIGHT SKI DUG INTO THE SNOW, CAUSING THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR TO COLLAPSE, AND THE RIGHT WING TO CONTACT THE FROZEN SURFACE. THE CRASH SITE ELEVATION WAS ABOUT 4,400 FEET MSL.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 21,000 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 20,000 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,174 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 14, 1988; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Girdwood AK at 7:30 pm
- Destination: AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 16°F (-9°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.
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.