Piper PA-18-150 N3996Z
13 September 1993 · Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 13 September 1993 at about 23:00 local time, a Piper PA-18-150 registered N3996Z was involved in an accident near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 23:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, United States
- Coordinates
- 70.4299, -149.2905
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150
- Registration
- N3996Z
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Business
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Happy Valley → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ANC93LA178
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
FLUID FUEL CONTAMINATION AS A RESULT OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMANDS IMPROPER PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE PLANE'S ENGINE SUDDENLY LOST A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF POWER APPROXIMATELY TWO HUNDRED FEET FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE REMOTE TUNDRA STRIP. THE AIRPLANE LANDED SHORT, BOUNCED, AND THE ENGINE REGAINED SOME RPM. A GO-AROUND WAS ATTEMPTED BUT THE ENGINE LOST POWER AGAIN. THE PILOT PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING NEAR THE END OF THE STRIP AND USED HEAVY WHEEL BREAKING. THE PLANE NOSED OVER ONTO ITS BACK. THE PILOT SAID THAT HE DRAINED THE PLANE'S FUEL TANKS AND ENGINE SUMPS PRIOR TO CONDUCTING THE FLIGHT AND FOUND NO CONTAMINATION. NO FURTHER PROBLEMS WERE EXPERIENCED WITH THE ENGINE DURING THE APPROXIMATE 8 HOUR FERRY FLIGHT TO ANCHORAGE, ALASKA. NO ABNORMALITIES WITH THE ENGINE WERE NOTED DURING THE TEARDOWN EXAMINATION. THE PILOT SAID THAT THE LOSS OF POWER WAS PROBABLY CAUSED BY THE ENGINE INGESTING A SMALL AMOUNT OF WATER.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-18 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Oct 1993 | Piper PA-18 | Cold Bay, Alaska, United States | Office of Aircraft Services | Unknown | - |
| 8 Mar 1993 | Piper PA-18 | Marshall, Arkansas, United States | Mistak, John | No injuries | - |
| 29 Apr 1993 | Piper PA-18 | Delta Junction, Alaska, United States | Wolfe, Fredrick M. | Fatal | 1 |
| 28 Feb 1993 | Piper PA-18-150 | Winnett, Montana, United States | Flint, Gary LEE | No injuries | - |
| 27 May 1993 | Piper PA-18-150 | Wasilla, Alaska, United States | Cline, Epton D. | No injuries | - |
| 21 May 1993 | Piper PA-18-150 | Vacaville, California, United States | JOY I. Smith | No injuries | - |
All 2,950 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Jul 1993 | Cessna A185F | Denali Nat'l Pk, Alaska, United States | James Okonek | Serious injuries | - |
| 4 Aug 1993 | Piper PA-32R-300 | Atigun Pass, Alaska, United States | Yutana Airlines | Fatal | 1 |
| 19 Aug 1993 | De Havilland DHC-3 | Nikabuna Lake, Alaska, United States | Ketchum Air Service Inc. | Minor injuries | - |
| 31 Aug 1993 | De Havilland DHC-2 | Iliamna, Alaska, United States | Rainbow King, Inc | Fatal | 3 |
| 2 Sep 1993 | Piper PA-18A-150 | Sanona Creek, Alaska, United States | Garfield, Wade E. | Fatal | 2 |
| 8 Sep 1993 | Interstate S-1B2 ARCTIC TERN | Talkeetna River, Alaska, United States | Franklin, Gary L. | Serious injuries | - |