Piper PA-18 N4418Z

Summary

On 29 April 2000 at about 19:00 local time, a Piper PA-18 registered N4418Z was involved in an accident near Seldovia, Alaska, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 April 2000 at 19:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Seldovia, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Seldovia (PASO)

Coordinates

59.3901, -151.6591

Aircraft

Piper PA-18

Registration

N4418Z

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Anchorage → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC00LA051

2 people had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane. A factor in the accident was an inadvertent ground swerve.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial certificated pilot was landing a tundra tire equipped airplane on a gravel runway. The winds were light and variable. The pilot said that during the landing roll, just before the tailwheel touched the runway, a wind gust pushed the tail of the airplane to the right. A second gust of wind then pushed the tail to the left. The pilot said he was unable to fully control the direction of the airplane, and decided to add engine power and abort the landing. The airplane veered to the left and the left main wheel contacted the surface of a tidal slough. The right wing then struck the surface of the slough, and the airplane inverted in about five feet of water. Both occupants of the airplane exited the airplane from underwater. The airplane received damage to both wings and the propeller.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.