Piper PA 22 accident near Talkeetna, Alaska, June 4, 2018
On June 4, 2018 at about 8:00 pm local time, a 1957 Piper PA 22, registered N7257D, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Talkeetna, Alaska. It was an instructional 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 flight instructor’s improper landing flare and failure to maintain a proper descent rate during approach, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 4, 2018 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Talkeetna, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 22 150, built 1957 · all PA 22s on the register
- Registration
- N7257D · registry record · serial 22-5084
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that, during approach at a low level, due to "wind shear," the tailwheel-equipped airplane suddenly lost altitude. The instructor increased the engine power to full, but the airplane touched down "harder than normal." The airplane impacted the airstrip with a side load, and the left wing and left landing gear separated from the airplane, which then slid to a stop and came to rest upright. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The instructor reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The instructor reported that the wind was from 180° and light and variable at 7 to 10 knots.
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 approach
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent rate › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,040 hours in all; 86 in this make and model; 231 in the last 90 days; 86 in the last 30 days; 900 as pilot in command; 657 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 22, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: type not recorded, December 17, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TKA Talkeetna AK
- Destination: TKA Talkeetna AK
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from PATK, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
Other NTSB records under N7257D the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 GAA18CA324.