- Date
- August 1, 2007, 11:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Anaktuvuk Pass, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N40832Piper PA-18
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 29, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Fairbanks, FSDO-01
- FAA report
- 20070801014909A
- Case key
- 66688
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in a loss of engine power during approach due to water contaminated fuel.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The commercial certificated pilot was landing the tundra tire-equipped, tailwheel airplane at an unimproved, off-airport site under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. According to the pilot, during the base leg of the approach for landing, the engine lost power, and the airplane collided with terrain during an emergency descent/landing. The airplane's owner reported that he observed the airplane's preflight inspection, and watched the pilot sump the fuel tanks, finding a small quantity of water in the tanks. He said the airplane departed, and upon returning, during landing, the engine lost power. While inspecting the airplane after the accident, the owner said he found water in the airplane's gascolator, carburetor, and fuel lines. He said the airplane was fueled from drums with filters, and it had rained during the preceding days. He said he suspected water contaminated fuel was the cause of the engine stoppage, and that after refueling the airplane with clean fuel, the engine started and ran without any problems. The owner said the airplane received damage to its fuselage, wings, lift-struts, and landing gear during the accident.
Factual narrative
The commercial certificated pilot was landing the tundra tire-equipped, tailwheel airplane at an unimproved, off-airport site under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. According to the pilot, during the base leg of the approach for landing, the engine quit, and the airplane collided with terrain during an emergency descent/landing. The airplane's owner reported that he observed the airplane's preflight inspection, and watched the pilot sump the fuel tanks, finding a small quantity of water in the tanks. He said the airplane departed, and upon returning, during landing, the engine quit. While inspecting the airplane after the accident, the owner said he found water in the airplane's gascolator, carburetor, and fuel lines. He said the airplane was fueled from drums with filters, and it had rained during the preceding days. He said he suspected water contaminated fuel was the cause of the engine stoppage, and that after refueling the airplane with clean fuel, the engine started and ran without any problems. The owner said the airplane received damage to its fuselage, wings, lift-struts, and landing gear during the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N40832
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-4468
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Phillip D. Byrd
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Anaktuvuk Pass, AK
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Unknown
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,000 total · 1,000 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 61 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.