Piper PA-18-160 accident near Galena, Alaska, September 25, 1994
On September 25, 1994, a Piper PA-18-160, registered N7513K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Galena, 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 EXCESSIVE USE OF BRAKES DURING LANDING. A FACTOR WAS THE UNFAVORABLE WINDS AT THE REMOTE LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 25, 1994
- Place
- Galena, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-160 · all PA-18-160s on the register
- Registration
- N7513K · registry record · serial 18-225
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS LANDING ON A GRAVEL BAR IN A RIVER AT HIS HUNTING BASE CAMP. DURING THE APPROACH HE NOTED THAT HE WOULD BE LANDING WITH A LEFT TO RIGHT CROSS WIND. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, HE RAISED THE FLAPS AND APPLIED BRAKES. AS THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE TAIL CAME UP AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. AFTER EXTRICATING HIMSELF FROM THE AIRPLANE AND WALKING BACK TO THE BASE CAMP, HE NOTICED THAT THE WIND WAS VARIABLE AND HAD SHIFTED TO A TAIL WIND. HE ESTIMATED THE WIND SPEED TO BE 15, GUSTING 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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 1,212 hours in all; 83 in this make and model; 148 in the last 90 days; 44 in the last 30 days; 1,182 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°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 N7513K 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.