Piper PA-18 accident near Kodiak, Alaska, September 13, 1994
On September 13, 1994 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N8653Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kodiak, Alaska. 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
A FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ADEQUATELY COMPENSATE FOR CROSSWIND CONDITIONS. A CROSSWIND AND ROUGH/UNEVEN TERRAIN WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 13, 1994 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Kodiak, Alaska · map
- 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
- N8653Y · registry record · serial 18-9024
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT AND PASSENGER OF A TUNDRA TIRE EQUIPPED TAILWHEEL AIRPLANE WERE DEPARTING A REMOTE BEACH LANDING STRIP ON A PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT A CROSS-WIND OF 15 KNOTS WAS BLOWING AND THE TERRAIN WAS ROUGH AND UNEVEN. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE AIRPLANE HIT A BUMP AND BEGAN TO TURN TO THE RIGHT. THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR STRUCK A LOG AND THE AIRPLANE RECEIVED DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR AND RIGHT WING.
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: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 2,200 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,559 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 21, 1994; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,850 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Z41 Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°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.
Other NTSB records under N8653Y 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.