Piper PA-18 N1738A

Summary

On 22 April 1989 at about 22:15 local time, a Piper PA-18 registered N1738A, operated by Niver, Mark A., was involved in an accident near Talkeetna, Alaska, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 April 1989 at 22:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Talkeetna, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

62.4501, -149.7897

Aircraft

Piper PA-18

Registration

N1738A

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Niver, Mark A.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Big Lake → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC89LA063

3 people had minor injuries.

THE PILOT'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND THE INADVERTANT STALL/MUSH OF THE AIRPLANE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS ARE THE PILOT'S OVERCONFIDENCE, SELF-INDUCED PRESSURE, MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AND WHITEOUT CONDITIONS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PRIVATE PILOT HAD TAKEN TWO PASSENGERS FOR A SCENIC RIDE IN HIS ONE PASSENGER AIRPLANE. HE WAS FLYING IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN OVER THE RUTH GLACIER NEAR MOUNT MCKINLEY. HE SAW THE WORD 'HELP' STAMPED IN THE SNOW BY A GROUP OF MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS, TWO OF WHICH WERE INJURED. HE ELECTED TO LAND TO SEE IF HE COULD HELP, BUT ENCOUNTERED REDUCED VISIBILITY DUE TO SNOW AND LOW CLOUDS. HE ATTEMPTED A GO-AROUND BUT STALLED THE AIRPLANE ABOUT 30 FEET AGL. HE AND HIS TWO PASSENGERS ESCAPED WITH MINOR INJURIES AND WAITED RESCUE WITH THE CLIMBERS IN A NEARBY CABIN.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.