Piper PA-18 accident near Aniak, Alaska, August 10, 1995
On August 10, 1995 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N9692P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Aniak, Alaska (Taylor Mountain Strip 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 MISJUDGED LANDING FLARE, WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING AND OVERLOAD FAILURE OF THE MAIN LANDING GEAR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 10, 1995 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Aniak, Alaska · Taylor Mountain Strip · 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
- N9692P · registry record · serial 1975
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED HE DECIDED TO LAND ON TAYLOR MOUNTAIN, AND THE LANDING WAS HARDER THAN NORMAL. HE DID NOT THINK, HOWEVER, THAT THE LANDING WAS HARD ENOUGH TO COLLAPSE THE LANDING GEAR. THE FAILED LANDING GEAR STRUT TUBE WAS VISUALLY EXAMINED, AND THE FRACTURE SURFACE SHOWED NO STRIATION MARKS. THE INSIDE OF THE TUBE SHOWED NO PITTING AND NO LARGE RUST SPOTS. THE TUBE WALLS WERE UNIFORMLY THICK AROUND THE TUBE NEAR THE FRACTURE SURFACE.
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
- Flight time: 350 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,075 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1995; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SLQ Sleetmute AK at 12:00 pm
- Destination: Taylor Mountain AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 1,800 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°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 N9692P 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.