Piper PA-18 accident near Big Lake, Alaska, June 11, 1999
On June 11, 1999 at about 11:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N2668P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Big Lake, Alaska (Goose Bay airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadvertent stall during takeoff. Factors associated with the accident are wind gusts and turbulence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 11, 1999 · about 11:40 pm local time
- Place
- Big Lake, Alaska · Goose Bay · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N2668P · registry record · serial 184392
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was departing a gravel airstrip bordered by trees in his short takeoff and landing (STOL) equipped airplane. About 100 feet above the ground, he reported he encountered turbulence, and lost control of the airplane. The airplane collided with trees near the airstrip. Postaccident inspection of the airplane disclosed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical anomalies.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 5,026 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 3,956 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,540 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 15, 1999; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MRI Anchorage AK at 3:30 pm
- Destination: MRI AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC99LA075.