Piper PA-18-150 accident near Tok, Alaska, August 16, 1998
On August 16, 1998 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N8252C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tok, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions. A factor associated with the accident were gusty winds.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 16, 1998 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Tok, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N8252C · registry record · serial 18-3677
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot was attempting a southwesterly departure from a 650 feet long off airport landing site. He stated that about midway into the takeoff run, the airplane became airborne, but failed to gain sufficient altitude to clear a stand of willow trees at the end of the takeoff run. During an interview the pilot said: 'I was about 5 or 6 feet high when the strong winds pushed the airplane into the willows at the end of the takeoff area.' The pilot reported in his written statement to the NTSB, that the wind conditions at the time of the accident were from the southwest at 15 knots, with peak gusts to 20 knots.
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: 1,998 hours in all; 1,850 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 1,898 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,341 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1998; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: TKJ AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 57°F (14°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.
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.