- Date
- June 19, 1991, 09:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Woods River, AK
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N10PCPiper PA-18
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 20, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19910619023479A
- Case key
- 5561
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
Failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed, while turning after a low pass, which resulted in an inadvertent stall. The wind gusts and turbulence were related factors.
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 pilot made a low, slow pass over the landing area. After completing the pass, he made a sharp banked turn to the left at low airspeed, and the airplane stalled and crashed. No preimpact mechanical problem was found that would have resulted in the accident. A toxicology check of the plt's blood showed a low level of ethanol, but no ethanol was found in his urine; the amount of blood/ethanol due to putrefaction was not verified. The airplane was loaded with 2 occupants, a dog, 73 lbs of groceries, and a 50 lb sack of feed on each wing strut, but the investigation did not verify the weight/distribution. The passenger reported that the airplane encountered wind gusts and turbulence.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N10PC
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 188217
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Lynn M. Castle
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Unknown · May 1, 1991
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 sea, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Expired
- Seat
- Front
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 12,000 total · 11,800 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.