Piper PA18S accident near Sterling, Alaska, July 23, 2017
On July 23, 2017 at about 7:10 pm local time, a 1956 Piper PA18S, registered N4387A, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Sterling, Alaska (Scooter'S Landing Strip airport). 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control while landing in crosswind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 2017 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Sterling, Alaska · Scooter'S Landing Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA18S 150, built 1956 · all PA18Ss on the register
- Registration
- N4387A · registry record · serial 18-4795
- 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, while landing in crosswind conditions and as the tailwheel set down, the airplane veered left. Subsequently, the airplane exited the left side of the runway, struck a well head, and came to rest nose down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system about 7 nautical miles from the accident site reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 280° at 11 knots. The pilot landed on runway 26.
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 on ground during landing defining event
- Runway excursion during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › (general) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 88 hours in all; 87 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 41 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 23, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,320.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 20, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 2,321 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AK84 Sterling AK
- Destination: AK84 Sterling AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 2,400 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from PASX, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 GAA17CA441.