PIPER PA 18-150

Full Narrative

On August 8, 2015, about 1900 Alaska daylight time, a Piper PA-18-150 airplane, N9265D, was substantially damaged after a loss of control and a subsequent collision with terrain about 45 miles west of Talkeetna, Alaska. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, sustained serious injuries. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a Federal Aviation Administration flight plan had not been filed for the flight.

The pilot stated that he was returning home after dropping off some hunters at a remote hunting camp. During the flight home, flying about 500 feet above ground level, he was looking at the north side of Sleeping Lady mountain. The next thing that he remembered was after the airplane had crashed and he had a broken leg. He extracted himself from the wreckage, found a satellite phone and requested assistance.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, fuselage, and empennage.

A UH-60 helicopter from the Alaska Air National Guard located the accident site on the evening of the accident and transported the pilot to a medical facility for treatment.

In the NTSB form 6120.1 submitted by the pilot, he noted that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He added that the airplane was not recovered from the accident site.