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ANC16CA025

2016-05-05 · McCarthy, Alaska, United States · Minor · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport 15Z

Current FAA registration · N5884D

Make / Model
PIPER PA-18-150
Year of manufacture
1956 · 60 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19561029
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A79688

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering at a low altitude, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall from which he could not recover.

Factual narrative

The pilot stated that while maneuvering low-level in an attempt to locate a suitable gravel bar for an off-airport landing, a wind gust lifted the right wing. The airplane entered an aerodynamic stall from which he was unable to recover before impacting terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot stated that while maneuvering low-level in an attempt to locate a suitable gravel bar for an off-airport landing, a wind gust lifted the right wing. The airplane entered an aerodynamic stall from which he was unable to recover before impacting terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to thewings and fuselage. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Airspeed-Not attained/maintained - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Angle of attack-Not attained/maintained - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2016_ANC16CA025.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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Related research

Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (stall). All research papers