# Accident 19980222001749A: Piper PA18, Toynek, AK, February 22, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: February 22, 1998, 21:34 local time - Place: Toynek, AK - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Descent - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 61.0810° N, 151.1593° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.0810&lon=-151.1593&mi=10 - Aircraft: N1379A, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1379A-2012-07-30) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-18 (registry code 7101802, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-290 series (registry code 41506, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-290-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA18 - Reported engine: LYC O320E2A - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 1,500 total, 1,450 in this make and model, 14 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC98LA022](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA022) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980222001749A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (FROM .19) CLIMBED OUT ON TOP AT NIGHT NO PANEL LIGHTS OR IFR ITEMS. ATAC CONTACTED. RAN OUT OF FUEL. LOST CONTROL. IMPACTED. (FROM .4) THE PILOT HAD DEPARTED FROM A REMOTE OFF-AIRPORT AREA DURING A DARK NIGHT. DURING THE FLIGHT TO THE INTENDED DESTINATION, A LAYER OF CLOUDS OBSCURED THE GROUND. THE PILOT CONTINUED IN VFR ON-TOP CONDITIONS AND BECAME LOST. THE PILOT CLIMBED TO ABOUT 10,000 FEET MSL TO REMAIN ABOVE THE CLOUDS. THE AIRPLANE WAS EQUIPPED WITH A TURN AND BANK INSTRUMENT, BUT DID NOT HAVE ANY INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING. THE AIRPLANE'S RADIO WAS NOT FUNCTIONING EFFECTIVELY TO ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH AN FAA FACILITY. THE PILOT WAS USING A FLASHLIGHT TO ILLUMINATE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, BUT THE BULB BURNED OUT. THE PASSENGER IN THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED THE ANCHORAGE AIR ROUTE TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER (ARTCC) VIA A CELLULAR TELEPHONE AND REQUESTED ASSISTANCE IN GETTING DOWN THROUGH THE CLOUDS AND LOCATING AN AIRPORT. THE PILOT, PASSENGER, AND FAA AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS, WORKED TOGETHER FOR ABOUT 1 HOUR IN AN ATTEMPT TO ASSIST THE FLIGHT. ABOUT 3 HOURS AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE RAN OUT OF FUEL, AND THE PILOT BEGAN A DESCENT THROUGH THE CLOUDS. THE PILO T REPORTED HE ATTEMPTED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE, BUT EXPERIENCED TWO OR THREE UNCONTROLLED SPINS. AS THE AIRPLANE NEARED THE GROUND, THE PASSENGER ESTABLISHED VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE GROUND AND YELLED TO THE PILOT. THE PILOT THEN PULLED BACK ON THE CONTROL STICK, AND THE AIRPLANE STRUCK GROUND IN AN AREA OF SMALL HILLS. RESCUE PERSONNEL LOCATED THE AIRPLANE THE FOLLOWING DAY. THE PILOT DID NOT HAVE AN INSTRUMENT RATING. HIS PILOT'S CERTIFICATE CONTAINED A LIMITATION THAT PROHIBITED NIGHT FLYING. (-23) PILOT FAILED TO OBSERVE SAFE OPERATING PRACTICES AND LIMITATIONS ON CERTIFICATE. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO FOLLOW. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ANC98LA022](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA022), Feb 23, 1998: Piper PA-18 (N1379A), Tyonek, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's continued VFR over-the-top operation, becoming lost/disoriented, his inadequate in-flight planning/decision making, and subsequent fuel exhaustion. Factors in the accident were the… ## Other reports on N1379A (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 19741128038769A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19741128038769A), Nov 28, 1974: Piper PA18 (N1379A), Rock Springs, WY, Substantial damage. Wind caught acft on approach,wing hit ground. Acft cartwheeled. Gusting to 30K. 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.