Piper PA-18-150 accident near Eagle, Alaska, September 19, 1991
On September 19, 1991 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N4894A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Eagle, Alaska (Eagle airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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 DAMAGE SUSTAINED WHEN STRIKING A ROCK DURING THE PREVIOUS TAKEOFF ROLL WHICH RESULTED IN THE MAIN LANDING GEAR'S COLLAPSE DURING LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 19, 1991 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Eagle, Alaska · Eagle · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N4894A · registry record · serial 18-4996
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING HIS TAKEOFF HE STRUCK A ROCK WHICH CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE MAIN LANDING GEAR. UPON LANDING AT EAGLE, THE MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED AND BENT THE WING'S LIFT STRUTS.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,430 hours in all; 472 in this make and model; 260 in the last 90 days; 82 in the last 30 days; 14,400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,638 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, August 6, 1991; 62 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Tatonduk Outfitters LTD
The flight
- Departed from: 40 Mile River AK at 12:35 pm
- Destination: EAA Eagle AK
- Runway 6, 3,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 15 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; not recorded at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°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 N4894A 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.