Aviation Crash Map

Piper PA-18-150 N3290Z

14 September 1991 · Wasilla, Alaska, United States · Fatal

Summary

On 14 September 1991 at about 00:45 local time, a Piper PA-18-150 registered N3290Z, operated by Lawrence J. Klebenow, was involved in an accident near Wasilla, Alaska, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 00:45
Classification
Accident
Location
Wasilla, Alaska, United States
Coordinates
Not recorded
Aircraft
Piper PA-18-150
Registration
N3290Z
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Lawrence J. Klebenow
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Wasilla → Field Site
Aircraft damage
Destroyed
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
ANC91FA147

People

2 people died.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
2 2 0 0 0

Probable cause

A LOSS OF CONTROL IN FLIGHT DUE TO IMPROPER LOADING OF THE AIRPLANE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

ACCORDING TO WITNESS WHO WATCHED THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND AND THE PAASSENGER LOAD THE AIRPLANE AND TAKEOFF, THE CARGO AREA WAS COMPLETELY FILLED UP TO THE CEILING OF THE AIRPLANE AND THE TAKEOFF ROLL WAS SHORT. AS SOON AS THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF IT ROSE INTO THE AIR WITH A VERY NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE UNTIL REACHING 100 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE WITNESS STATED THAT IT APPEARED HE WAS HAVING TROUBLE KEEPING THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT DOWN. UPON FLYING PAST THE END OF THE AIRSTRIP IT MADE A STEEP BANK TO THE RIGHT, STABILIZED FOR A MOMENT AND THEN ROLLED INVERTED, NOSED OVER AND DOVE INTO THE GROUND.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Piper PA-18 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
13 Oct 1991 Piper PA-18-150
N4488Z
Telluride, Colorado, United States Christopher Carroll No injuries -
13 Apr 1991 Piper PA-18-125
N1322A
Ekalaka, Montana, United States Erlend D. Laird No injuries -
9 Apr 1991 Piper PA-18-150
N6966D
Tatitlek, Alaska, United States - Fatal 1
8 Jun 1991 Piper PA-18-150
N4319Z
Wasilla, Alaska, United States David L. Grinde Serious injuries -
10 Jun 1991 Piper PA-18-150
N3474Z
Corvallis, Oregon, United States George G. Urbach Serious injuries -
4 Jul 1991 Piper PA-18
N82732
King Salmon, Alaska, United States Alaska State Troopers No injuries -

All 2,950 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
1 Mar 1991 Piper PA-20
N2636A
Anchorage, Alaska, United States Hickok, Bruce D. No injuries -
22 May 1991 David K Maxwell MAX-1
N4921S
Sutton, Alaska, United States Stanley R. Dapkus Serious injuries -
5 Jan 1991 Cessna 172G
N4468L
Wasilla, Alaska, United States
no coordinates
Larry M. Driskill No injuries -
2 Feb 1991 Champion 7EC
N8988R
Eagle River, Alaska, United States Robert C. Bischoff No injuries -
29 Mar 1991 Cessna 206
N6216U
Homer, Alaska, United States - Fatal 4
6 Jul 1991 Cessna 185A
N5081H
Valdez, Alaska, United States - Minor injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States