Skip to content

Atlas / NTSB / ANC25LA041

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event ANC25LA041

2025-05-22 Susitna, Alaska, United States None 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N1364C

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

PIPER PA-18A 150

Engine

LYCOMING 0-290 SERIES (140 hp)

Seats / Engines

1 seats · 1 engine

Last airworthiness date

19620423

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S A09462

Registrant of record

RUSH CHRISTOPHER C

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s encounter with shifting winds during landing, which resulted in a loss of airspeed and altitude, and subsequent contact with water.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that while on landing approach to a remote river sandbar in gusty wind conditions, the headwind rapidly decreased and the airplane lost airspeed and began to descend. The pilot applied full engine power in an attempt to arrest the descent; however, the wheels contacted the water, and the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing struts. The pilot reported there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).

  • Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot
  • Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Airspeed-Not attained/maintained
  • Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Altitude-Not attained/maintained
  • Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Sudden wind shift-Effect on operation

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2025_ANC25LA041.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.