Piper PA-14 accident near Talkeetna, Alaska, May 2, 1999
On May 2, 1999 at about 7:01 pm local time, a Piper PA-14, registered N5402H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Talkeetna, Alaska (Talkeetna 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 inadequate compensation for the wind conditions, and an inadvertent ground loop. A factor in the accident was a quartering tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 2, 1999 · about 7:01 pm local time
- Place
- Talkeetna, Alaska · Talkeetna · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-14 · all PA-14s on the register
- Registration
- N5402H · registry record · serial 14-512
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certificated private pilot was landing a tailwheel equipped airplane on runway 36. After touchdown, as the airplane was slowing to taxi speed, the pilot said a gust of wind ground looped the airplane. The nose of the airplane veered to the left. The right wing struck the runway surface, and received damage to the outboard end. The pilot said the wind direction was from 240 degrees at 10 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: 125 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,090 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 3, 1999; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,850 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MRI Anchorage AK at 1:30 pm
- Destination: TKA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft; scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from PAT
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 N5402H 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.