- Date
- September 23, 1983, 08:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Port Alsworth, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N3873ZPiper PA-18
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19830923053909A
- Case key
- 4179
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
Reportedly, the plt was looking at an area in mountainous terrain near an off arpt landing area when he encountered windshear & a downdraft while turning. He stated that the alft dropped 400 ft & he applied full power; however, the left wing struck the ground before he could recover. The acft then cartwheeled & came to rest upside down. The plt reported that there was turbulence & the wind was from 360 deg at 30 gusting 35 KTS.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3873Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7661
- Airframe hours
- 3,489
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- John Michael Rank
- Registered owner
- Nelson J. Stimaker
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 16, 1982 · 160 hours before
- Departed
- Z30 · Port Alsworth, 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
- 36
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 2,114 total · 1,016 in this make and model · 1,971 as pilot in command · 376 in the last 90 days · 120 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 30 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 30 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.