On November 3, 2009, about 1600 Alaska standard time, a Piper PA-18-160 airplane, N1042A, sustained substantial damage during takeoff from a gravel bar, about 40 miles southeast of Palmer, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91. The solo commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on November 10, the pilot said he was taking off from a gravel bar when the left main landing gear tire struck a rock, and the left main landing gear collapsed. He said when the landing gear collapsed, the left wing struck the ground, resulting in structural damage to the wing. He said there were no mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. The pilot did not submit an NTSB accident report form as requested.