Piper PA-18 N1930A

Summary

On 28 April 1996 at about 23:00 local time, a Piper PA-18 registered N1930A, operated by Paul G. Isaak, was involved in an accident near Kasilof, 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.

Date

28 April 1996 at 23:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Kasilof, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Doyle's Strip

Coordinates

60.2796, -151.2603

Aircraft

Piper PA-18

Registration

N1930A

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Paul G. Isaak

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Soldotna

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC96LA060

Nobody was injured.

fuel starvation due to a kinked fuel supply line from the left main tank, and the pilot's improper rebuild/remanufacture of the airplane. A smaller than standard fuel line from the fuel strainer to the carburetor, a smaller than standard fuel cap vent, and a lack of mechanic certification were factors in the accident.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The certificated private pilot was departing a private 2,000 feet long grass airstrip. Before departure, the pilot selected the left fuel tank. During the initial climb, the engine suddenly quit about 100 feet in the air. The pilot selected an emergency landing area, and the airplane collided with several trees during the landing. The pilot indicated that the remanufactured engine that he installed had accured 25 hours. The airplane had been rebuilt by the pilot, who was not a certificated airframe or powerplant mechanic. The pilot did not possess any airworthiness documentation for the airplane. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed a kink in the fuel line from the left fuel tank. The fuel line from the fuel strainer to the carburetor was 1/4 inch in diameter. The standard size was 3/8 inch. The fuel caps on each tank were required to have a 3/8 inch vent line. The installed caps had a 1/4 inch vent.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.