- Date
- March 31, 1991, 17:45 local (21:45 UTC)
- Place
- Alexander Creek, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N1988PPiper PA-18-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 24, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19910331011969A
- Case key
- 5536
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
The engine failure resulting from fuel screen contamination . A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
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
During cruise flight, the pilot experienced a non mechanical engine failure. The forced landing area contained scrub trees and during the landing, the airplane struck these trees causing substantial damage. Examination of the airplane's fuel system revealed that the gascolator and fuel lines contained dirt and debris from an undetermined source. No other mechanical difficulties were found.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1988P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-4223
- Airframe hours
- 3,150
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Charles M. Muschany
- Registered owner
- Charles M. Muschany
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 20, 1990 · 69 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · Anchorage, AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
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
- 36
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 423 total · 411 in this make and model · 374 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 90 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 37 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.