Piper PA18 accident near Mouth Of The Big Susitna River, Alaska, November 7, 2016
On November 7, 2016, a 1978 Piper PA18, registered N62744, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Mouth Of The Big Susitna River, 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 decision to take off with a gusting quartering tailwind and his subsequent loss of airplane control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 7, 2016
- Place
- Mouth Of The Big Susitna River, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA18 A150, built 1978 · all PA18s on the register
- Registration
- N62744 · registry record · serial 18-7809109
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that during takeoff from a tidal flat, a strong quartering tailwind gust "hit the tail" and he corrected with rudder. The pilot further reported that as soon as the airplane became airborne another strong quartering tailwind gust pushed the airplane inline to impact a driftwood tree that was lying on the tidal flat. The airplane proceeded to strike and bounce off of the driftwood tree and then descended toward a water channel. The pilot reported that he "did not know exactly what happened", other than the airplane touched down on the other side of the water channel and the main landing gear collapsed. Subsequently, the left wingtip hit the ground and the airplane slid to a stop backwards. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal 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
- Other weather encounter during takeoff
- Attempted remediation/recovery during takeoff
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
- Landing gear collapse during takeoff
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during takeoff
- Nose over/nose down during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on operation
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Debris/dirt/foreign object › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 644.4 hours in all; 319.3 in this make and model; 58.5 in the last 90 days; 5.4 in the last 30 days; 593.4 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 3, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,222.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 2,886 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BCV Birchwood AK
- Destination: Mouth Of The Big Susitna River AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,600 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.46 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from PANC, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 N62744 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.