Piper PA18 accident near Salcha, Alaska, June 17, 2018
On June 17, 2018 at about 6:00 am local time, a 1958 Piper PA18, registered N9098D, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Salcha, 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s overapplication of the brakes during 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
- June 17, 2018 · about 6:00 am local time
- Place
- Salcha, 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 1958 · all PA18s on the register
- Registration
- N9098D · registry record · serial 18-6478
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, while landing on an unimproved, off-airport site, he applied too much brake pressure, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing lift struts, empennage, and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane 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
- Miscellaneous/other during landing
- Nose over/nose down during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Brake › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 152 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 69 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 26, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,367.0 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 11, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 1,243 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 31AK Fairbanks AK
- Destination: Salcha AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; a few clouds at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.63 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 am from PAEI, 15 miles away
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 GAA18CA355.