Piper PA 18 accident near Kotzebue, Alaska, September 26, 2016
On September 26, 2016 at about 1:30 am local time, a 1955 Piper PA 18, registered N2880P, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Kotzebue, Alaska. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s selection of unsuitable terrain for an off-airport precautionary landing, which resulted in a nose-over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 26, 2016 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Kotzebue, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 18 150, built 1955 · all PA 18s on the register
- Registration
- N2880P · registry record · serial 18-4477
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tundra tire-equipped, tailwheel airplane reported that he made an off-airport precautionary landing due to icing conditions; the airplane encountered soft terrain during the landing roll and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and empennage. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the intended destination's automated weather observation station about 19 miles to the south west, revealed that, about 37 minutes before the accident the wind was 120 degrees true at 14 knots, visibility 1 statue mile, light snow, mist, temperature 34 degrees Fahrenheit, dewpoint 30 degrees Fahrenheit. And, about 23 minutes after the accident the wind was 110 degrees true at 13 knots, overcast 1,700 feet, visibility 1 ¼ statue mile, light snow, mist, temperature 34 degrees Fahrenheit, dewpoint 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
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
- Other weather encounter during enroute
- Landing area overshoot during landing defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Snow/slush/ice covered surface › Effect on equipment
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Low visibility › Effect on personnel
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Snow/slush/ice covered surface › Decision related to condition
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,821 hours in all; 1,782.3 in this make and model; 85.4 in the last 90 days; 85.4 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: September 15, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,758.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 3, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 5,844 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Walik River AK
- Destination: OTZ Kotzebue AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 13 knots
- Sky: overcast at 1,700 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 29.73 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 GAA16CA516.