Piper PA-18-150 N7509K
19 August 1992 · Port Alsworth, Alaska, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 19 August 1992 at about 02:34 local time, a Piper PA-18-150 registered N7509K, operated by Donald D. Kassube, was involved in an accident near Port Alsworth, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 02:34
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Port Alsworth, Alaska, United States
- Coordinates
- 60.1994, -154.2798
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150
- Registration
- N7509K
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Donald D. Kassube
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Ground Hog Mtn. → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ANC92LA137
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL STARVATION ASSOCIATED WITH FUEL CONTAMINATION DUE TO AN INADEQUATE AIRCRAFT PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT. THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN ENCOUNTERED DURING THE LANDING WAS A FACTOR.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE FLIGHT WAS COMMENCED WITH MINIMUM FUEL. HE ESTIMATED THAT THE LEFT WING FUEL TANK HAD ABOUT 2 TO 3 GALLONS OF FUEL AND HE WAS RUNNING THE RIGHT WING FUEL TANK DOWN. HE KNEW THE RIGHT TANK WAS ABOUT OUT OF FUEL, SO HE HAD ONE HAND ON THE FUEL TANK SELECT VALVE TO SWITCH IT TO THE LEFT TANK AT THE FIRST INDICATION THAT THE ENGINE WAS BEING DEPRIVED OF FUEL. THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND HE SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECT VALVE TO THE LEFT TANK. THE ENGINE CAUGHT AND RAN FOR ABOUT 45 SECONDS TO 1 MINUTE THAN BEGAN TO SPUTTER. WHEN IT BECAME EVIDENT TO HIM THAT THE ENGINE WAS NOT GOING TO CATCH AND RUN, HE PERFORMED AN OFF AIRPORT EMERGENCY LANDING ON THE TUNDRA WHICH RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT SAID THAT THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER MAY HAVE BEEN DUE TO THE ENGINE INGESTING 'SLUDGE' FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE RIGHT WING FUEL TANK. THE PILOT COMMENTED THAT THE RIGHT WING TANK HAD NEVER BEEN OUT OF THE AIRPLANE SINCE THE PLANE WAS BUILT IN 1957.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-18 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Mar 1992 | Piper PA-18 | Shageluk, Alaska, United States | Deacon, Nelson H. | No injuries | - |
| 22 Apr 1992 | Piper PA-18-150 | St. Augustine, Florida, United States | Michael L. King | Fatal | 1 |
| 20 Apr 1992 | Piper PA-18-150 | Big Lake, Alaska, United States | Kastner, Kenneth D. | No injuries | - |
| 19 Jul 1992 | Piper PA-18 | Ft Walton Beach, Florida, United States | Boomer Aviation, Inc. | Minor injuries | - |
| 13 May 1992 | Piper PA-18-150 | Soccastee, South Carolina, United States | Sky Signs, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 5 Aug 1992 | Piper PA-18-150 | Littleton, Colorado, United States | Banner Advertising | Minor injuries | - |
All 2,950 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Feb 1992 | Piper PA-18A-150 | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | John Clark | Minor injuries | - |
| 12 Feb 1992 | Richard C Ballow KITFOX 1 | Valdez, Alaska, United States | Jones, William Marshall | No injuries | - |
| 17 Feb 1992 | Aeronca 7AC | Sitka, Alaska, United States | Diment, Archie G. | No injuries | - |
| 9 Oct 1992 | Champion 7EC | Chugiak, Alaska, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 14 Feb 1992 | Cessna 180 | Shishmaref, Alaska, United States | Sheldon, Robert J. | Serious injuries | - |
| 19 Feb 1992 | Cessna 185F | Pelican, Alaska, United States | Bellair, Inc. | Minor injuries | - |