- Date
- September 6, 1992, 13:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Sparrevohn, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8699DPiper PA-18-180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 26, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19920906040749A
- Case key
- 5818
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 pilot's low pass between trees in crosswind conditions and inflight decision to conduct low altitude flight at a location that was too restricted for safe operation. Factors relating to the accident were: cross wind conditions and obstacles (trees).
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
Pilot made several passes at location for possible landing in remote area. Successive passes to view landing area became lower until below tree top level. Cross wind reportedly caused aircraft wing to strike trees. Aircraft sustained substantial damage when it collided with terrain.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8699D
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-6277
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- James Harrower, doing business as Stony River Lodge
- Registered owner
- James Harrower
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 15, 1992
- Departed
- Stony River Lge, AK
- Destination
- Moose Valley, AK
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
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 3,702 total · 92 in this make and model · 3,457 as pilot in command · 235 in the last 90 days · 80 in the last 30 days · 2.2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 700 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 45 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.