ANC89LA046

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-18 · Sulatna River, AK · February 22, 1989

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane which resulted in a stall.

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.

Loss of control - in flightManeuvering

Stall/mush - not identifiedPilot in commandCause

Aircraft handling - not maintainedPilot in commandCause

In flight collision with objectManeuvering

Object - tree(s)

The pilot lost directional control of the airplane at a low altitude. The airplane stalled and crashed into a wooded area next to a frozen River.

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role: Pilot
Age: 53
Certificate: Private
Airplane ratings: Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
Medical: Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat: Front
Flight hours: 10,000 total · 4,000 in this make and model · 10,000 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.