Piper PA-18 accident near Wasilla, Alaska, August 6, 1992
On August 6, 1992, a Piper PA-18, registered N7146K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wasilla, Alaska (Wasilla 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 FAILED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE LANDING ROLL. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE UNFAVORABLE WIND, THE TREES, AND THE FENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 6, 1992
- Place
- Wasilla, Alaska · Wasilla
- 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
- N7146K · no longer on the register · serial 18-363
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED AND LEFT THE RUNWAY. THE RIGHT WING HIT SOME SMALL TREES, THEN THE AIRPLANE GROUND LOOPED INTO A CHAIN LINK FENCE. A 15 TO 40 MPH GUSTY WIND WAS REPORTED BY THE PILOT AND WITNESSES. THE PILOT SAID A CROSSWIND CAUSED THE AIRPLANE TO LEAVE THE RUNWAY, HOWEVER, TWO WITNESSES ON THE GROUND SAID THE WIND WAS 'STRAIGHT DOWN THE RUNWAY'.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,600 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 8,495 as pilot in command; 2,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 3, 1992; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FAI Fairbanks AK at 3:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 2,100 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°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.