• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
General Aviation News

General Aviation News

Because flying is cool

  • Pictures of the Day
    • Submit Picture of the Day
  • Stories
    • News
    • Features
    • Opinion
    • Products
    • NTSB Accidents
    • ASRS Reports
  • Comments
  • Classifieds
    • Place Classified Ad
  • Events
  • Digital Archives
  • Subscribe
  • Show Search
Hide Search

Piper’s wing hits tree

By NTSB · September 7, 2018 ·

The pilot of a tailwheel-equipped Piper PA-18 reported that the left wing hit a tree near Gulkana, Alaska, while he was maneuvering at low altitude.

He continued to his intended destination and landed without further incident.

After he landed, a subsequent exam of the left wing revealed substantial damage to the left aileron.

The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a tree while maneuvering at low altitude.

NTSB Identification: GAA16CA482

This September 2016 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.

About NTSB

The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent federal agency charged by Congress with investigating every civil aviation accident in the United States and significant events in the other modes of transportation, including railroad, transit, highway, marine, pipeline, and commercial space. It determines the probable causes of accidents and issues safety recommendations aimed at preventing future occurrences.

Reader Interactions

Share this story

  • Share on Twitter Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook Share on Facebook
  • Share on LinkedIn Share on LinkedIn
  • Share on Reddit Share on Reddit
  • Share via Email Share via Email

Become better informed pilot.

Join 110,000 readers each month and get the latest news and entertainment from the world of general aviation direct to your inbox, daily.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Curious to know what fellow pilots think on random stories on the General Aviation News website? Click on our Recent Comments page to find out. Read our Comment Policy here.

Comments

  1. Sarah A says

    September 10, 2018 at 9:06 am

    This accident would be better understood if we knew just why the pilot was making those maneuvers at such a low altitude in the first place. Was this related to getting in/out some improvised landing area or was this caused by the typical stupidity of buzzing. Yes he never should have put the aircraft into such a dangerous situation but that condemnation can be tempered a bit if this was the unfortunate outcome of conditions that are not often seen in the lower 48. We are just not given enough information on accidents like this to really know what precipitated this scenario of danger.

  2. PeterH says

    September 7, 2018 at 10:40 am

    Brilliant!

© 2025 Flyer Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy.

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Comment Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Writer’s Guidelines
  • Photographer’s Guidelines