- Date
- May 16, 1988, 16:05 local (May 17, 1988, 00:05 UTC)
- Place
- Wasilla, AK
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N7224KPiper PA-18
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 13, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19880516016639A
- Case key
- 4952
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 private pilot and passenger were making an approach to the Wasilla airport, Wasilla, AK, when the engine lost power. The pilot made a sharp 180 degree turn to try and reach a paved street about 3/4 of a mile short of the runway. The airplane stalled and crashed just prior to reaching the road. The on-site investigation revealed that the fuel selector was positioned on an empty fuel tank, although the opposite tank had ample fuel. At the time of the accident, the pilot's certificate had been suspended for non-compliance with biennial flight review and aircraft annual inspection requirements stemming from a 9/87 accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7224K
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 118
- Engine
- Lycoming O-290D, 125 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Ronald E. Hills
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Departed
- Yetna River, AK
- Destination
- Wasilla, AK
- Airport
- Z16 · Wasilla, runway 23, 2,100 × 90 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
- 48
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Seat
- Front
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 250 total · 150 in this make and model · 210 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 28 °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 N7224K · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.