N8987Y – Piper PA18 – 2020-06-02 NTSB Accident Report

On June 02, 2020, a Piper PA18 (N8987Y) was involved in an incident near Nikiski, AK. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a ground loop.

The pilot was landing the tailwheel and tundra tire-equipped airplane on a remote unimproved airstrip. While on final approach and just before touchdown, a gust of wind pushed the airplane to the left. The left wing contacted alder brush and the airplane veered to the left and ground looped sustaining substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operations.

In the recommendation section of the NTSB Accident/Incident Reporting Form 6120.1, the pilot stated that the accident may have been prevented if he had waited for a day without gusting wind conditions.

This incident is documented in NTSB report ANC20CA056. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N8987Y.