Piper PA 18 accident near Chickaloon, Alaska, September 1, 2019
On September 1, 2019 at about 6:45 pm local time, a 1950 Piper PA 18, registered N72842, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Chickaloon, 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 selection of unsuitable terrain for landing and the pilot's improper pitch control during the landing roll which resulted in a nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 2019 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Chickaloon, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 18 105 SPECIA, built 1950 · all PA 18s on the register
- Registration
- N72842 · no longer on the register · serial 18-192
- 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, he was landing for a second time on an uphill, 500 ft gravel strip. He completed a 3-point landing and applied full aft pressure on the control stick. During the bumpy landing roll, about 200 ft from the touchdown point, the tail went up in the air, and he tried to increase the throttle setting to full, but the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right-wing lift strut. 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
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 568 hours in all; 117 in this make and model; 116 in the last 90 days; 42 in the last 30 days; 527 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 4, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,603 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 6,649 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAQ Palmer AK
- Destination: Chickaloon AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 9,000 ft; scat at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.72 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from PAAQ, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on January 22, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N72842 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.