- Date
- September 3, 1992, 16:30 local (Sep 4, 1992, 00:30 UTC)
- Place
- Port Alsworth, AK
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8420DPiper PA-22
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 11, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19920903035169A
- Case key
- 5798
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 improper maneuver that unported the low fuel tank. The unsuitable terrain at the site of forced landing was a factor.
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 takeoff from a small lake, the instructor pilot allowed a student pilot to make a flat, step turn takeoff. Due to low fuel in the tanks, the fuel pickup unported and the engine stopped and started several times due to fuel starvation. The instructor was unable to recover engine power or return to the lake prior to hitting trees.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8420D
- Reported as
- Piper PA-22
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-5675
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Glen R. Alsworth, doing business as Lake Clark Air
- Registered owner
- Glen R. Alsworth
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 2, 2000 · 100 hours before
- Flight plan
- Company 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
- 46
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Multi-engine sea, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 15,500 total · 165 in this make and model · 15,500 as pilot in command · 300 in the last 90 days · 110 in the last 30 days · 6.5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 50 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.