No fatalities

Piper PA18 150 accident at Sterling, AK, 28 May 2020

Sterling, AK, United States

On May 28, 2020, a Piper PA18 150 was involved in an aviation accident near Sterling, 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 runway excursion and collision with trees. 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 runway excursion and collision with trees.

— NTSB Determination

Contributing factors

PilotDirectional control — Not attained/maintained