Piper PA-18-150 N57617

Summary

On 9 April 2025 at about 18:30 local time, a Piper PA-18-150 registered N57617 was involved in an accident near Bethel, 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

9 April 2025 at 18:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Bethel, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

60.8014, -161.8230

Aircraft

Piper PA-18-150

Registration

N57617

Category

Airplane

Year built

1977

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Kotlik

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC25LA033

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's delayed decision to abort the takeoff when the airplane was not attaining sufficient airspeed for takeoff and subsequently departed the end of the lake and collided with terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he was departing a frozen lake in his tundra tire, tailwheel-equipped airplane. The surface of the lake was “polished” smooth by wind and there was a 6 knot, 90-degree crosswind. During takeoff, the tail took longer than normal to become airborne, the pilot was planning to abort the takeoff when the tail began to lift off the ground. He continued the takeoff, but it became apparent to the pilot that the airplane would not get airborne in time. He aborted the takeoff but the airplane had insufficient braking resulting in the airplane sliding off the lake into vegetation along the shore. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operations.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.