- Date
- October 9, 1984, 15:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Big Susitna Rvr, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N2583PPiper PA-18
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19841009057589A
- Case key
- 4433
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
Engine failure occurred shortly after takeoff due to water contamination in the fuel system. The pilot stated that a more thorough pre-flight inspection should have been accomplished. The acft collided with the terrain during the uncontrolled descent.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2583P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 184325
- Airframe hours
- 4,000
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Gifford W. Nafus
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 10, 1983 · 94 hours before
- Departed
- Z16 · Wasilla, AK
- Destination
- Big Susitna Rvr, 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
- 48
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 3,000 total · 2,800 in this make and model · 2,800 as pilot in command · 150 in the last 90 days · 70 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 25 °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.