No fatalities

Piper PA 18 accident at McGrath, AK, 16 May 2020

McGrath, AK, United States

On May 16, 2020, a Piper PA 18 was involved in an aviation accident near McGrath, AK. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a collision with trees and impacted with the ground. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a collision with trees and impacted with the ground.

— NTSB Determination

Contributing factors

PilotDirectional control — Not attained/maintained