Piper PA-18 accident near Northway, Alaska, August 7, 1993
On August 7, 1993 at about 9:32 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N4485A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Northway, Alaska (Northway 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 FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL ON TOUCHDOWN. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE GUSTY CROSSWIND CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 7, 1993 · about 9:32 pm local time
- Place
- Northway, Alaska · Northway · map
- 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
- N4485A · registry record · serial 18-4850
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
COMMERCIAL PILOT OF SUPERCUB EQUIPPED WITH 29 INCH BALLOON TIRES LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF AIRPLANE ON LANDING IN GUSTY CROSSWIND CONDITIONS. AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES ALONG SIDE 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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,004 hours in all; 550 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 2,751 as pilot in command; 1,136 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,150 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 27, 1993; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GKN Gulkana AK at 3:00 pm
- Destination: ORT
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 22, 5,100 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 8 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; scat at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 pm from ORT
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.
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.