- Date
- June 21, 1990, 19:00 local (Jun 22, 1990, 03:00 UTC)
- Place
- Big Lake, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N4431ZPiper PA-18-160
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 2, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19900621021529A
- Case key
- 5385
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Loss of engine power for undetermined reasons resulting in an off airport landing in a ditch.
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 airplane had spent three years in the shop being rebuilt and this was its first flight. The pilot-in-command topped off the fuel tanks, performed a runup and then sat on the end of the runway while he attempted to fix the communication radio. He then taxied onto the runway and started the takeoff. Upon reaching 150 feet above the ground he reduced the power by 200 RPM and the engine died suddenly. He attempted to land on a road straight ahead. The airplane landed short in the ditch. Subsequent examination and engine run showed no mechanical irregularities with the engine or airplane fuel system.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4431Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-160
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-8769
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Kim Irwin
- Registered owner
- Kimmeth J. Irwin
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Airport
- BGQ · Big Lake, runway 24, 2,400 × 75 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
- 46
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 415 total · 340 in this make and model · 415 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 16 knots
- Visibility
- 60 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point -0 °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 N4431Z · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.