Piper PA-18-150 accident near Big Lake, Alaska, April 20, 1992
On April 20, 1992, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N7077D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Big Lake, Alaska (Big Lake 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. A FACTOR TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: A CROSSWIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 20, 1992
- Place
- Big Lake, Alaska · Big Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N7077D · registry record · serial 18-5562
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TOUCHDOWN, DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE RIGHT WING SUDDENLY LIFTED. RIGHT AILERON AND RUDDER CONTROL WERE APPLIED, HOWEVER, THE RIGHT WING STAYED LIFTED AS THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TRAVELLING ON THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR. THE PILOT THEN APPLIED FULL POWER REALIZING THAT HE WAS PROBABLY EXPERIENCING A CROSS WIND CONDITION. AFTER POWER WAS APPLIED, THE PILOT BEGAN TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE, HOWEVER, BEFORE FULL CONTROL COULD BE ATTAINED, THE AIRPLANE TRAVELLED TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY AND THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLIDED WITH A RUNWAY LIGHT. THE PILOT REDUCED POWER AS THE AIRPLANE TRAVELLED OFF THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH A SNOW BANK. THE AIRPLANE PIVOTED TO THE LEFT AND THE LEFT WING CONTACTED THE GROUND.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 411 hours in all; 92 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 320 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 2,400 ft by 85 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°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.