# NTSB ANC83FA137: Grumman G-44A, N1423, Big Lake, AK, July 31, 1983

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: July 30, 1983, 16:00 local (Jul 31, 1983, 00:00 UTC)
- Place: Big Lake, AK
- Coordinates: 61.160587, -149.990737 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.1606&lon=-149.9907&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal, 1 serious
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office
- NTSB case key (mKey): 4046
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC83FA137
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/4046/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC83FA137

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight collision with terrain/water, maneuvering
  - judgment - poor, pilot in command (cause)
  - impairment(alcohol), pilot in command (cause)
  - buzzing - performed, pilot in command (cause)
  - maneuver - excessive, pilot in command (cause)
  - clearance - misjudged, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

THE ACFT CRASHED IN A LEVEL, WOODED AREA. THE INITIAL IMPACT WITH TREES OCCURRED APRX 40 FT AGL. BOTH WING TIPS & A PORTION OF THE LEFT STABILIZER & ELEVATOR WERE FOUND AT THE BASES OF THE TREES THAT WERE FIRST IMPACTED. FROM THE FIRST IMPACT POINT, THE WRECKAGE WAS DISENTEGRATED & SCATTERED OVER AN AREA THAT WAS 30 FT WIDE & 140 FT LONG. NO KNOWN EYE WITNESSES WERE REPORTED. HOWEVER, A SHORT TIME BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED BEING FLOWN IN ABRUPT MANEUVERS & BUZZING BOATS. A TOXICOLOGICAL EXAM OF THE PLT'S BLOOD SHOWED AN ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 0.241%. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE WAS MADE, BUT NO PREIMPACT/MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURES WERE FOUND.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N1423](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1423-2005-07-20), registration cancelled 2005-07-20, S/N 1423, built 1945 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: GRUMMAN G-44A
- Registry model: [Grumman G-44A](https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-g-44a) (registry code 3951508) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Fairchild 6-440 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/fairchild-6-440-series) (registry code 26003, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 1423
- Airframe hours: 1200
- Engines: RANGER 6-440C-5 200 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Red Dodge
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, May 15, 1983, 50 hours before

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 34; commercial, private; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, multi-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 1, expired; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 3,726 total, 420 in this make and model, 3,542 as pilot in command, 92 in the last 90 days, 40 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 68 °F

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19830730039979A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19830730039979A), Jul 30, 1983: Gulstm G44A, Big Lake, AK, Destroyed, 1 fatal. Crashed into trees while buzzing boats on a lake and aiming at them on high speed water taxi. Pilot intoxicated.

## Other investigations on N1423 (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 ANC68I0048](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC68I0048), May 27, 1968: Grumman G-44A (N1423), Anchorage, AK, incident, minor damage

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.

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