Casualties unknown

Aircraft Stalls on Final Approach in Gusty Winds (N4097Z)

Skwentna, AK, US

On September 4, 1983, a Piper PA-18-150 (registration N4097Z) was involved in an aviation accident near Skwentna, AK. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 2026-06-10Data APIEditorial standards

During landing in gusty turbulent conditions, an aircraft stalled after encountering a wind gust at 500 ft AGL. The pilot attempted correction but lost altitude, resulting in a hard landing. No weather briefing had been obtained.

Incident Overview

An aircraft stalled into the ground while on final approach for landing in gusty and turbulent wind conditions. The pilot reported that during the landing attempt, a gust of wind flipped the aircraft over at an altitude of 500 ft above ground level (AGL). He applied left aileron to correct, but by the time he could recover, he had lost too much altitude and the aircraft pancaked into the ground.

Pilot Account

According to the pilot, the aircraft was inverted by the gust at 500 ft AGL. He stated that he corrected with left aileron, but the loss of altitude was too great to regain controlled flight before impact. The aircraft struck the ground in a pancake manner.

Weather Conditions

The weather was reported as visual meteorological conditions (VMC). The wind was from 270 degrees at 20 knots, gusting to 25 knots, with moderate turbulence. Flight Service Stations (FSS) were available to the pilot by telephone or radio, but he did not receive a weather briefing prior to the flight.

Investigation Findings

The investigation determined that the aircraft stalled on final approach. The pilot did not obtain a weather briefing despite the availability of such services. No probable cause was explicitly stated in the source.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001214X44389. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.