| Crash location | 60.303611°N, 156.899444°W
Reported location is a long distance from the NTSB's reported nearest city. This often means that the location has a typo, or is incorrect. |
| Nearest city | Koliganek, AK
59.728611°N, 157.284444°W 41.9 miles away |
| Tail number | N82905 |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 18 Sep 2006 |
| Aircraft type | Piper PA-18 |
| Additional details: | None |
The commercial certificated pilot reported he was flying at a low altitude over rising terrain during a Title 14, CFR Part 91 business flight, searching for sites to deploy a tent camp in support of a lodge operation. While approaching a ridgeline, he stated that a powerful downdraft forced the airplane into a brush-covered hillside. The pilot reported that neither he or the sole passenger were injured, and that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane. The airplane received substantial damage to the wings and fuselage structure.
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate altitude/clearance from rising terrain while maneuvering at a low altitude, which resulted in an in-flight collision with terrain. Factors associated with the accident were a downdraft, the pilot's intentional low altitude flight, and his inadequate weather evaluation.