Piper PA-18 accident near Trading Bay, Alaska, September 12, 1989
On September 12, 1989, a Piper PA-18, registered N3680Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Trading Bay, 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 SELECTED UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR HIS INTENDED LANDING AREA. WET TERRAIN/HYDROPLANING CONDITIONS IN THE INITIAL TOUCHDOWN AREA AND AN OBJECT (STUMP) CONTRIBUTED TO THE OCCURRENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 12, 1989
- Place
- Trading Bay, Alaska
- 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
- N3680Z · registry record · serial 187409
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PLT, HE & THE PASSENGER FLEW TO TRADING BAY TO DUCK HUNT. HE INTENDED TO LAND ON A GRASSY FLAT WHERE HE HAD PREVIOUSLY LANDED. THERE HAD BEEN HEAVY RAIN IN THE AREA BEFORE HE ARRIVED & ONE TO TWO INCHES OF STANDING WATER WAS ON THE LANDING AREA. DRG THE LANDING, HIS BRAKES WERE NOT EFFECTIVE, SO HE ELECTED TO GO AROUND. HE RPRTD THAT AS THE ACFT WAS LIFTING OFF TO GO AROUND, IT HIT A STUMP, BUT CONTINUED FLYING. HE HAD DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING THE ACFT, SO HE DISCONTINUED THE GO-AROUND & LANDED ON TIDAL FLATS WHERE THE ACFT WAS FURTHER DAMAGED.
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: 301 hours in all; 124 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 253 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,702 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 14, 1989; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,760 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ANC Anchorage AK at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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 N3680Z 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.