- Date
- August 25, 1991, 16:00 local (Aug 26, 1991, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- Aspen Creek, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N9796PPiper PA-18
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 24, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19910826036779A
- Case key
- 5611
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 partial loss of power for undetermined reasons and the rough terrain.
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 stated that just after takeoff, at about 10 to 20 feet AGL, the engine lost about 50% power. The airplane then landed hard, causing one main landing gear to collapse and the wings to hit the ground. Investigation found no problems with the engine that were considered causal to the power loss.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9796P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7609030
- Airframe hours
- 2,500
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Gary L. Bishop
- Registered owner
- Gary L. Bishop
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 3, 1991 · 50 hours before
- Departed
- Aspen Creek, AK
- Destination
- PAQ · Palmer, 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
- 44
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 5,000 total · 3,000 in this make and model · 5,000 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 5,000 ft broken
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 N9796P · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.