- Date
- September 12, 1999, 16:30 local (Sep 13, 1999, 00:30 UTC)
- Place
- Iliamna, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N1886PPiper PA-18
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 18, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19990912025309A
- Case key
- 47400
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
A loss of engine power for an undetermined reason. A factor in the accident was unsuitable terrain for a forced landing.
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 commercial certificated pilot landed to drop off a passenger at a remote hunting camp. He placed about 12 gallons of fuel in the left wing fuel tank. The pilot then departed downhill from an area about 800 feet long. The airplane fuel selector was on 'BOTH.' As the airplane became airborne, and climbed to about 15 feet above the ground, the engine began to lose power. The pilot selected the left fuel tank, and the engine began to gain power, but the airplane collided with trees and nosed over. The airplane received damage to the left wing lift strut, the engine mount and firewall, and both wings.
Factual narrative
On September 12, 1999, about 1630 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire equipped Piper PA-18 airplane, N1886P, sustained substantial damage while taking off from a remote area, about 65 miles west of Iliamna, Alaska, at latitude 59 degrees, 59.46 minutes north, and longitude 156 degrees, 57.38 minutes west. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) positioning flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by Allgood Flying Service, Chugiak, Alaska. The commercial certificated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, Anchorage Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), traveled to the accident scene and interviewed the pilot. The inspector said the pilot landed to drop off a passenger at a hunting camp, and placed about 12 gallons of fuel in the left wing fuel tank. The pilot intended to depart and return to Iliamna. The pilot departed downhill from an area about 800 feet long. The airplane fuel selector was on "BOTH." As the airplane became airborne, and climbed to about 15 feet above the ground, the engine began to lose power. The pilot selected the left fuel tank, and the engine began to gain power, but the airplane collided with trees and nosed over. The airplane received damage to the left wing lift strut, the engine mount and firewall, and both wings.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1886P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-4169
- Airframe hours
- 8,919
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Operator
- Allgood Flying Service
- Registered owner
- Allen K. Alligood
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 13, 1999 · 1,298 hours before
- Destination
- PAIL · 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
- 52
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 6,695 total · 6,000 in this make and model · 6,495 as pilot in command · 210 in the last 90 days · 59 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F
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 N1886P · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.