Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control while attempting to drag an off-airport landing site.
NTSB analysis
The commercial pilot was conducting a cross-country public aircraft flight. He stated that he was making a straight-in approach to the off-airport landing site that was wet and soft with the intention of dragging the landing surface. Upon touchdown, the airplane bounced slightly, settled back to the surface, and then veered left. Unable to correct for the veer, the pilot applied full power in an attempt to initiate a go-around, but the airplane impacted the elevated edge of a creek bank and then came to rest upright in the water, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing, elevators, and rudder. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ANC15TA003 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Oct 19, 2014
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Cub Crafters Inc CC18-180
- N-number
- N537CC
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 2013
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Public aircraft
- Purpose of flight
- PUBF
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.