Piper PA-18 accident near Harding Lake, Alaska, May 18, 1989
On May 18, 1989 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N7761D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Harding Lake, Alaska (Little Harding Lake airport). 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 FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY COMPENSATE FOR THE EXISTING WIND CONDITIONS. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE GUSTY/VARIABLE WIND CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 18, 1989 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Harding Lake, Alaska · Little Harding Lake
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N7761D · registry record · serial 18-5940
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO TAKE OFF FROM A SMALL LAKE IN HIS FLOAT EQUIPPED AIRPLANE. HE WAS UNABLE TO GAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO CLEAR THE OPPOSITE BANK, AND STRUCK THE TERRAIN WITH THE RIGHT MAIN FLOAT. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED ONTO THE SHORE AND DAMAGED THE LEFT WING. THE PILOT BELIEVES THAT THE PRESENCE OF VARIABLE GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS ADDED TO THE TAKE OFF DISTANCE REQUIRED, AND THAT HE DID NOT ADEQUATELY COMPENSATE FOR THE WIND CONDITIONS.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 303 hours in all; 260 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 220 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FAI Fairbanks AK at 1:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 80 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 18,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 N7761D 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.