No fatalities

Tailwheel Airplane Inverted After Hitting Hole on Unimproved Airstrip

Holy Cross, AK, United States

On September 26, 2017, a PIPER PA18 150 operated by Alaska Pike Safaris was involved in an aviation accident near Holy Cross, AK. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s selection of unsuitable terrain for landing, which resulted in a nose-over. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-09-03Data APIEditorial standards

A tailwheel-equipped airplane inverted during the landing roll on an unimproved airstrip after hitting a hole. The empennage sustained substantial damage, and the pilot reported no preaccident mechanical failures.

Accident Description and Damage Assessment During the landing roll on an unimproved airstrip, a tailwheel-equipped airplane struck a hole and came to rest inverted. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The source does not specify the aircraft type, registration, date, operator, location, or cause beyond the pilot's report of the hole and the resulting inversion. No additional details regarding weather, passenger count, or injury status are provided in the source material.

Contributing factors

PilotDecision related to conditionEffect on operation

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 26 Sept 2017 PIPER PA18 150 accident near Holy Cross, AK?

A tailwheel-equipped airplane inverted during the landing roll on an unimproved airstrip after hitting a hole. The empennage sustained substantial damage, and the pilot reported no preaccident mechanical failures.

Were there any fatalities in the 26 Sept 2017 PIPER PA18 150 accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 26 Sept 2017 involved a PIPER PA18 150, operated by Alaska Pike Safaris, at Holy Cross, AK.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The pilot’s selection of unsuitable terrain for landing, which resulted in a nose-over.