# Accident 19990820013239A: Piper PA18, Sleetmute, AK, August 20, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: August 20, 1999, 14:30 local time - Place: Sleetmute, AK - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct) - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Operator: R53C - Location: 61.6807° N, 157.1603° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.6807&lon=-157.1603&mi=10 - Aircraft: N82905, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N82905) (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 O320* - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 7,500 total, 3,000 in this make and model, 300 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC99LA121](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA121) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990820013239A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ACFT CRASHED ON TAKE-OFF AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (.19) ON AUGUST 20, 1999, ABOUT 1430 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A TUNDRA TIRE EQUIPPED, PIPER PA-18, N82905, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN AFTER TAKEOFF FROM AN OFF AIRPORT SITE ABOUT 45 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF SLEETMUTE, ALASKA, AT POSITION 60 DEGREES 58 MINUTES NORTH LATITUDE, 157 DEGREES 22 MINUTES WEST LONGITUDE. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, AND THE ONE PASSENGER ON BOARD WAS NOT INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 BY RESTORATION THROUGH RECREATION - ALASKAN ADVENTURES, OF ROCKLIN, CALIFORNIA, IN SUPPORT OF THE OWNER'S HUNTING-GUIDE BUSINESS. THE FLIGHT WAS DEPARTING THE RIDGETOP LANDING AREA FOR THE GUIDE'S CAMP ON THE HOHOLITNA RIVER, ALASKA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND A COMPANY VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. DURING A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW WITH THE NTSB INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE (IIC) ON AUGUST 23, THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A TWO INCH DIAMETER, FOUR FEET TALL TREE. HE INDICATED HE SMELLED FUEL, AND THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LAN DING INTO TREES BELOW THE RIDGE, DAMAGING THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR MOUNT. THE ENGINE GASCOLATOR SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE, AND WAS FOUND NEXT TO THE TREE WHICH THE AIRPLANE STRUCK. (-23) ON AUGUST 21, 1999, AT APPROXIMATELY 1430 HOURS, THE AIRCRAFT WAS BLOWN OFF THE RIDGE ON TAYLOR MOUNTAIN RIGHT AFTER TAKE-OFF. THE ENGINE QUIT PRODUCING POWER AT 500 FEET AGL DUE TO AIRCRAFT STRIKING TREE AFTER BEING AIRBORNE AND SEVERING THE GASCOLATOR. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGES BUT WAS REPAIRED ON SITE FOR A ONE TIME FLIGHT TO A REPAIR FACILITY, FEERY PERMIT WAS OBTAINED FROM THE ANCHORAGE FSDO. NOTE: THIS ACCIDENT CASE IS BEING TURNED OVER TO THE OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION.(.4) DURING TAKEOFF FROM AN OFF AIRPORT RIDGETOP LANDING AREA, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A TWO INCH DIAMETER, FOUR FEET TALL BUSH. THE PILOT SAID HE SMELLED FUEL, AND THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING INTO TREES BELOW THE RIDGE, DAMAGING THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR MOUNT. THE ENGINE GASCOLATOR SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE, AND WAS FOUND NEXT TO THE FIRST BUSH WHICH THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED. ## 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 ANC99LA121](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA121), Aug 20, 1999: Piper PA-18 (N82905), Sleetmute, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's selection of an unsuitable takeoff area, which resulted in the airplane colliding with vegetation, knocking the gascolator off the airplane, and fuel starvation of the engine. ## Other reports on N82905 (4) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20060918023429A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060918023429A), Sep 18, 2006: Piper PA18150 (N82905), Kolignak, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) Thirty miles north of Kolignak, PIC encountered what he described as a micro burst near a ridge pushing the aircraft into a ridge, causing substantial… - [Accident 20000910042619A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000910042619A), Sep 10, 2000: Piper PA18150 (N82905), Substantial damage. (-23) The pilot was enroute from Alaska to Texas. The statement should be coming soon. This report will be amended when pilot's statement arrives. - [Accident 19980925037159A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980925037159A), Sep 25, 1998: Piper PA18150 (N82905), New Stuyahok, AK, Substantial damage. (.19) On September 25, 1998, at 1045 Alaska daylight time, a Piper PA-18 airplane, N82905, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over during landing at an… - [Incident 19800726062669I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19800726062669I), Jul 26, 1980: Piper PA18150 (N82905), Anchorage, AK, Minor damage. Hard water landing caused loss of control and collision with shoreline. 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.