Plane Crash List

Piper PA-18 N4320Z

4 April 1998 · Talkeetna, Alaska, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 4 April 1998 at about 17:00 local time, a Piper PA-18 registered N4320Z was involved in an accident near Talkeetna, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 17:00
Classification
Accident
Location
Talkeetna, Alaska, United States
Coordinates
62.4496, -149.7903
Aircraft
Piper PA-18
Registration
N4320Z
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Not recorded
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Talkeetna → Unknown
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
ANC98LA035

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
1 0 0 0 1

Probable cause

The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing. Factors in the accident were snow covered terrain, and a hidden obstruction.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The certificated commercial pilot was landing a ski equipped, tailwheel airplane on a remote, snow covered river gravel bar. During the landing roll, the landing gear skis struck an object buried in the snow. The pilot added power, and departed without stopping. The pilot did not observe what type of object was in the snow. Upon return to the departure airport, the pilot discovered damage to the fuselage at the right main landing gear attach point.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Piper PA-18 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
11 Nov 1998 Piper PA-18-150
N3391Z
Kenai, Alaska, United States - No injuries -
6 Feb 1998 Piper PA-18-105
N316T
Sheridan, Wyoming, United States - No injuries -
23 May 1998 Piper PA-18
N8578D
Glennallen, Alaska, United States - Minor injuries -
23 Feb 1998 Piper PA-18
N1379A
Tyonek, Alaska, United States - Minor injuries -
5 May 1998 Piper PA-18-160
N4319Z
Talkeetna, Alaska, United States - No injuries -
7 May 1998 Piper PA-18-150
N7468D
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States - Minor injuries -

All 2,950 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
11 Nov 1998 Boeing 747-400
HL741
Anchorage, Alaska, United States Asiana Airlines Minor injuries -
3 Nov 1998 Piper PA-12
N5129Y
Willow, Alaska, United States - No injuries -
6 Feb 1998 Cessna 207
N91029
Homer, Alaska, United States - Fatal 1
28 Apr 1998 Taylorcraft BL12
N33902
Sitka, Alaska, United States - Fatal 1
14 May 1998 Cessna 208
N192AV
Nome, Alaska, United States Baker Aviation Inc. Serious injuries -
15 May 1998 Cessna 172M
N9212H
Palmer, Alaska, United States - Fatal 2

All 170,864 records in United States