- Date
- March 30, 1983, 09:20 local (13:20 UTC)
- Place
- W. Clam Gulch, AK
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8081CPiper PA-18A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19830330010149A
- Case key
- 4108
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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 acft stalled and crashed during an approach to land in a wilderness area. According to the plt he was preoccupied with landing near a wolverine he wanted to shoot. His approach was too high so he closed the throttle put down full flaps and started a turn. The plt thought he hit a downdraft as the acft stalled. He was not able to recover before hitting the ground. He believes that his shoulder harness saved him from serious or fatal injury.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8081C
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-3485
- Airframe hours
- 4,866
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Vernon L. Nowell
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 21, 1983 · 69 hours before
- Departed
- Z38 · Anchorage, AK
- Destination
- Remote Area, 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
- 42
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 497 total · 468 in this make and model · 462 as pilot in command · 82 in the last 90 days · 42 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 135° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 30 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N8081C · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.