# Accident 19980523010519A: Piper PA18, Gulkana, AK, May 23, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 23, 1998, 09:00 local time
- Place: Gulkana, AK
- Airport: Gulkana
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 62.1003° N, 145.5292° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=62.1003&lon=-145.5292&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8578D, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8578D) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-18 (registry code 7101802, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18) (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 O320A2B
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 5,000 total, 2,000 in this make and model, 200 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC98LA054](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA054) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980523010519A

## Narrative

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

AERIAL MOOSE SURVEY. LOST POWER LOW ALTITUDE. STRUCK TREES. WATER IN FUEL. HAD SAT OUT IN ALL NIGHT RAIN. (.4)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.                                                         (-23) AIRCRAFT IN CRUISE AT 500'-600' AGL, ENGINE QUIT AND AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO TREES. INSPECTOR FOUND WATER IN FUEL GASOLATOR SUMP AND CARBURETOR BOWL.

## 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 ANC98LA054](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA054), May 23, 1998: Piper PA-18 (N8578D), Glennallen, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate preflight of the airplane's fuel system, and presence of water in the fuel system.

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.

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