Piper PA-18 N8578D
23 May 1998 · Glennallen, Alaska, United States · Minor injuries
Summary
On 23 May 1998 at about 17:00 local time, a Piper PA-18 registered N8578D was involved in an accident near Glennallen, Alaska, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. 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 17:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Glennallen, Alaska, United States
- Coordinates
- 62.1003, -145.5292
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18
- Registration
- N8578D
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ANC98LA054
People
2 people had minor injuries.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate preflight of the airplane's fuel system, and presence of water in the fuel system.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The certificated commercial pilot was conducting an aerial moose survey for the State of Alaska. The passenger was a wildlife biologist employed by the State of Alaska. The pilot said that while in cruise flight, about 500 feet above the ground, all engine power was lost. Attempts to restore engine power were unsuccessful, and he turned the airplane to avoid rising terrain. During the subsequent forced landing, the airplane collided with trees. The airplane received substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness inspector, inspected the airplane wreckage, and obtained a fluid sample from the fuel system gascolator. The sample exhibited two obvious layers of separated liquid. The top layer consisted of a bluish liquid, consistent with the color of 100LL aviation fuel. The lower layer consisted of a clear liquid which appeared to be water. The NTSB investigator-in-charge tested the clear fluid with water finding paste. The sample tested positive for water.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-18 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Nov 1998 | Piper PA-18-150 | Kenai, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 6 Feb 1998 | Piper PA-18-105 | Sheridan, Wyoming, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 23 Feb 1998 | Piper PA-18 | Tyonek, Alaska, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 4 Apr 1998 | Piper PA-18 | Talkeetna, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 5 May 1998 | Piper PA-18-160 | Talkeetna, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 7 May 1998 | Piper PA-18-150 | Fairbanks, Alaska, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
All 2,950 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Nov 1998 | Boeing 747-400 | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | Asiana Airlines | Minor injuries | - |
| 3 Nov 1998 | Piper PA-12 | Willow, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 6 Feb 1998 | Cessna 207 | Homer, Alaska, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 28 Apr 1998 | Taylorcraft BL12 | Sitka, Alaska, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 14 May 1998 | Cessna 208 | Nome, Alaska, United States | Baker Aviation Inc. | Serious injuries | - |
| 15 May 1998 | Cessna 172M | Palmer, Alaska, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |