- Date
- September 23, 1983, 15:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Wasilla, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N4008MPiper PA-12
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19830923067939A
- Case key
- 4176
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
According to the pilot the engine started running intemittently after he was over trees at the departure end of the runway. The engine stopped and the pilot set up for and accomplished a forced landing. After the accident the pilot and a mechanic found water in the fuel system. The gas caps were almost flush with the wing and allowed water to collectat the same level as the filler neck.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4008M
- Reported as
- Piper PA-12
- Category
- Airplane
- Airframe hours
- 2,000
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Stuart Felbert
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 1, 1983 · 80 hours before
- Airport
- Z16 · Wasilla, runway 18, 1,000 × ft, gravel
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
- 40
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 7,350 total · 5,050 in this make and model · 7,100 as pilot in command · 250 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 50 °F
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 N4008M · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.