Piper PA 18 accident near Shulin Lake, Alaska, May 29, 2016
On May 29, 2016 at about 6:00 pm local time, a 1957 Piper PA 18, registered N6966D, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Shulin Lake, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees during final approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 29, 2016 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Shulin Lake, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 18 A-150, built 1957 · all PA 18s on the register
- Registration
- N6966D · no longer on the register · serial 18-5547
- 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, on short final during landing, he thought that he had cleared the trees on the approach end of the private airstrip. He reported that he aimed for his landing spot, but the propeller struck a tree and the airplane impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the both wings and the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies or malfunctions during the flight with any portion of the airplane that would have prevented normal flight operations.
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
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 837 hours in all; 275 in this make and model; 567 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 11, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rear
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,862 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-360-A4P (piston); 440 hours total
- Operator: Ak Ac LLC
The flight
- Departed from: Anchorage AK at 12:15 pm
- Destination: Shulin Lake AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from ANC, 61 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
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 N6966D 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.