Piper PA-18-180 accident near Pilot Point, Alaska, October 3, 1993
On October 3, 1993 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-180, registered N3680Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pilot Point, Alaska (Pilot Point 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-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO COMPENSATE FOR THE CROSSWIND DURING TAXI. THE CROSSWIND WAS A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 3, 1993 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Pilot Point, Alaska · Pilot Point · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-180 · all PA-18-180s on the register
- Registration
- N3680Z · registry record · serial 18-7409
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND STATED HE WAS TAXIING WITH A STRONG CROSSWIND. HIS TAXI SPEED WAS A NORMAL SPEED AND HE WAS HOLDING THE CONTROL STICK IN A NEUTRAL POSITION. A GUST OF WIND LIFTED THE LEFT WING AND THE PILOT THEN MOVED THE CONTROL STICK TO THE LEFT AND ADDED POWER. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE RUNWAY AND WENT OVER AN EMBANKMENT ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF 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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 2,218 hours in all; 1,636 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 2,218 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,901 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 11, 1993
- Maximum gross weight: 1,760 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PIP at 1:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 30 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility: 99 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 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.