Piper PA 18 N3764Z

Summary

On 15 June 2018 at about 01:55 local time, a Piper PA 18 registered N3764Z was involved in an accident near Wasilla, 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.

Date

15 June 2018 at 01:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Wasilla, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Anderson Lake (0AK1)

Coordinates

61.6169, -149.3217

Aircraft

Piper PA 18

Registration

N3764Z

Category

Airplane

Year built

1960

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Wasilla → Wasilla

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA18CA367

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing in gusting tailwind conditions. 

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, during short final, the airplane encountered moderate turbulence, but he was able to maintain runway alignment and glideslope with constant power and flight control adjustments. During the landing roll, about 20 mph, the tailwheel-equipped airplane veered right. He applied full left aileron and rudder corrections, but the airplane continued to the right, exited the runway, impacted a post, and came to rest upright in a row of trees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The weather observation station located about 7 nautical miles from the accident site reported that, about 1 minute after the accident, wind was variable at 6 knots, gusting to 15 knots. The pilot reported that the wind was from 130º at 21 knots, gusting to 30 knots. The airplane landed on runway 26. The pilot added that, after landing, the wind sock was found to be damaged and was not indicating wind direction properly; it was replaced after the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.