Piper PA-18-160 accident near Cantwell, Alaska, July 8, 1997
On July 8, 1997 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-160, registered N3952Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cantwell, Alaska. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain sufficient altitude to clear terrain. Factors were exceeding the airplane's maximum allowable gross weight, and downdrafts and turbulence associated with wind flowing across a mountain ridge.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 8, 1997 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Cantwell, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-160 · all PA-18-160s on the register
- Registration
- N3952Z · registry record · serial 18-7810
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The air taxi pilot and passenger were approaching a mountain ridge from below. Both occupants described conditions favoring a downslope wind and turbulence at the ridge. The pilot attempted to turn when he realized they would not clear the ridge, but the airplane descended and impacted terrain. The airplane was estimated to weigh 1,827 pounds at the time of the last takeoff. The maximum takeoff weight is 1,760 pounds. The elevation at the accident site was 4,500 feet msl.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,800 hours in all; 6,100 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,652 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 22, 1997; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,760 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Soule Lake AK at 4:15 pm
- Destination: PATW Gas Lake AK
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft; scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:58 pm from PAT, 15 miles away
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 N3952Z 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.