Piper PA-18-150 accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, May 7, 1998
On May 7, 1998 at about 2:25 am local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N7468D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fairbanks, Alaska (Chena Marina airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control and his inadequate compensation for wind conditions. A factor was the gusting crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 7, 1998 · about 2:25 am local time
- Place
- Fairbanks, Alaska · Chena Marina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N7468D · registry record · serial 18-5798
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot stated that during landing with variable, 10 knot winds, gusting to 14 knots, a gust from the left pushed the airplane off the right side of the runway. The airplane struck an unmanned helicopter parked 50 feet outside the edge of the 4,700 x 60 foot 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 350 hours in all; 16 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 350 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1998; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,625 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AK28 Chena Marina AK at 9:10 pm
- Destination: AK28 AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 4,700 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 10 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N7468D 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.