Piper PA-18 accident near Palmer, AK
On October 2, 1996, a Piper PA-18 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Palmer, AK. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- October 2, 1996
- Place
- Palmer, AK
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 61.620°N, 148.980°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001208X06826
NTSB summary
History of the Flight On October 2, 1996, at 1224 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire equipped Piper PA-18, N64RS, crashed during takeoff from a private airstrip 1/2 mile southwest of the Palmer, Alaska, airport. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight when the accident occurred. The airplane, registered to and operated by the pilot, was destroyed by impact and postimpact fire. The certificated private pilot received serious injuries. The sole passenger received fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot reported he was departing his 700 feet long grass strip to transport the passenger to a hunting spot. He described the wind conditions as light and variable. The departure runway is oriented on a 210 degree heading. Following a run-up of the engine, the pilot departed and climbed the airplane to about 100 feet above the ground while in a slight right turn. The pilot described the airplane's tail suddenly being pushed downward. The engine was operating at full power. The airplane then descended in a right wing and nose low attitude toward the ground. The airplane descended through two strands of high voltage electrical wires located 41.5 feet above the ground. The pilot recalled seeing sparks emanating from the right wingtip. The airplane struck the ground in a small grove of trees and a postcrash fire erupted. Witnesses observed the airplane climb to about 100 feet above the ground and begin a slight right turn. The turn suddenly steepened and the nose of the airplane dropped toward the ground.
Probable cause
the pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions and failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall. The unfavorable wind condition was a related factor.
More accidents in AK
- Beech 1900C, Nov 23, 1987
- Textron Aviation Inc 208B, Feb 6, 2025
- Dehavilland DHC-3, Jul 7, 2013
- Cessna 208, Oct 10, 2001
- Dehavilland DHC-3, Jun 25, 2015
Browse: Alaska · Piper aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
