# Accident 19870823050349A: Piper PA18, Merrill Pass, AK, August 23, 1987

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 23, 1987, 17:05 local time
- Place: Merrill Pass, AK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft: N3288Z, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3288Z) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-18-150 (registry code 7101828, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-150) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA18
- Reported engine: LYC O320A2A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 5,000 total, 50 in this make and model, 1 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19870823050349A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

RAN OUT OF FUEL. THE SKI EQUIPPED AIRCRAFT STRUCK A DITCH ON THE FORCED LANDING AND NOSED OVER.

## NTSB investigation

None matched to this report by aircraft and date. Search the NTSB's own records: https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/basic-search

## Other reports on N3288Z (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19870817055789I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19870817055789I), Aug 17, 1987: Piper PA18150 (N3288Z), Sparrevohn, AK, Minor damage. Landed on a glacier. While taxiing to park, hit a soft spot and nosed over.
- [Accident 19730210002539A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19730210002539A), Feb 10, 1973: Piper PA18150 (N3288Z), Selawik, AK, Substantial damage. Carb heat on.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.