- Date
- December 23, 1993, 15:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Port Alsworth, AK
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N7121PPiper PA-18
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 17, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19931223047229A
- Case key
- 2481
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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The pilot-in-command not maintaining the proper clearance from the terrain during the approach.
Analysis
During an approach to an ice frozen lake, the plane, piloted by a non-certificated pilot, collided with a tree. In August 1971, the pilot's application for a medical certificate was denied by the federal air surgeon. The pilot reported that for the past twenty years he had been taking an anti-seizure medication on a daily basis without any recurring problems.
Factual narrative
On December 23, 1993, at 1500 Alaska Standard Time, a wheel-ski equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, N7121P, collided with a tree and crashed during an approach to a frozen lake located about 3 miles southeast of Port Alsworth, Alaska. The non certificated pilot-in-command, the sole occupant, received minor injuries, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The local personal flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 91, departed Port Alsworth at 1430 and the intended destination was the frozen lake. Visual meteorological conditions existed, and no flight plan was filed.
In August of 1971, the pilot's application for a medical certificate was denied by the Federal Air Surgeon. The pilot reported that for the past twenty years he had been taking an anti-seizure medication on a daily basis without any recurring problems.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7121P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7121
- Airframe hours
- 3,590
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Alsworth, John H.
- Registered owner
- Alsworth, Joel J.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 21, 1993 · 77 hours before
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
- 41
- Medical
- Unknown
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 400 total · 120 in this make and model · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 5,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 36 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.