- Date
- September 11, 1993, 17:00 local (Sep 12, 1993, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- Mosquito River, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N82081Piper PA-18
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19930911034409A
- Case key
- 2427
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 failure to maintain a proper altitude during the low pass. A factor was the rough/uneven 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 said he was making a low pass over the area to evaluate it for a possible future landing area with hunting clients. During the low pass the right wheel touched down in a hole, causing the airplane to bounce. About 25 feet later it touched down in another hole, then nosed over.
Factual narrative
History of flight
On September 11, 1993, at 1700 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, N82081, operated by 40 Mile Air, Ltd of Tok, Alaska, collided with the terrain and nosed over while maneuvering at the Mosquito River, located approximately 45 miles northwest of Tok. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The local business flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 91, departed Tok at 1630. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a VFR flight plan was filed.
The pilot stated that he was "dragging the strip" in an attempt to evaluate the suitability of the area for a future landing area with hunting clients. During the low pass the right wheel touched down in a hole, causing the airplane to bounce. About 25 feet later it touched down in another hole, then nosed over. The right wing strut and the rudder were substantially damaged.
Additional information
Mr. Lavell Wilson, Director of Operations for 40 Mile Air, stated that the results were negative from the pilot's post-accident toxicological tests.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N82081
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7909057
- Airframe hours
- 1,869
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- 40 Mile Air, Ltd., doing business as 40 Mile Air, Ltd
- Registered owner
- Charlie, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 6, 1993 · 22 hours before
- Departed
- 6KA · Tok, 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
- 52
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,794 total · 700 in this make and model · 1,744 as pilot in command · 135 in the last 90 days · 85 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- 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.