- Date
- August 12, 1990, 00:00 local (08:00 UTC)
- Place
- Aniak, AK
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Unknown
- Aircraft
- N3946ZPiper PA-18-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 2, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Case key
- 5427
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
Pilot lost control of the airplane as a result of encountering severe weather either during takeoff or landing. Contributing to the accident was the severe weather, rough water surface, and self-induced pressure to fly by the pilot.
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 float-equipped airplane was found floating upside down in a lake where the pilot and passenger had been hunting. Strong winds, rough swells, and water spouts reportedly existed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3946Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7804
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- James O. Ekstedt
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 25, 1989
- Airport
- NONE
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
- 62
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 5,100 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 30 knots, gusting 40
- Visibility
- 3 statute miles
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point -0 °F
Other investigations on N3946Z · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.