Piper PA 18-150 accident near Old Harbor, Alaska, October 16, 2015
On October 16, 2015 at about 11:30 pm local time, a 1968 Piper PA 18-150, registered N4336Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Old Harbor, Alaska. 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 selection of unsuitable terrain for landing, resulting in a collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 16, 2015 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Old Harbor, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 18-150 A150, built 1968 · all PA 18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N4336Z · no longer on the register · serial 18-8654
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he intended to perform a touch and go "to roll the tires" on a beach. He reported that he touched down, added power, and became airborne. He reported that shortly after becoming airborne the airplane rotated 90 degrees to the right, and the left wing impacted the ground. The airplane came to rest upright on an embankment and sustained substantial damage to the left wing, empennage, and elevator. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies prior to or during the flight that would have prevented normal flight operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,752 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 287 in the last 90 days; 101 in the last 30 days; 350 as pilot in command; 100 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 28, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,993.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 28, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 3,017 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAKD Kodiak AK at 5:30 pm
- Destination: Sulua Bay AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; a few clouds at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.14 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from PADQ, 78 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on December 24, 2015. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos (Courtesy of Pilot) | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.