Piper PA-18-150 N9739P

Summary

On 9 June 2000 at about 22:45 local time, a Piper PA-18-150 registered N9739P was involved in an accident near Skwentna, 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

9 June 2000 at 22:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Skwentna, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

61.9291, -151.7292

Aircraft

Piper PA-18-150

Registration

N9739P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Hilltop A/S → Skwentna

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC00LA066

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's improper positioning of the fuel tank selector, and fuel starvation. A factor in the accident was the improper service of the airplane's hydraulic brake system.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The solo private pilot reported that while in cruise flight, about 200 feet above the ground, all engine power was lost. He said that the fuel selector valve was on the right fuel tank and that he intended to 'run the right tank dry,' then switch tanks. As the engine began to lose power, he switched the selector to the left fuel tank, but engine power was not immediately restored, and he selected a forced landing area on a sandy river bank. He added that during the landing roll, without applying the brakes, the airplane slowly nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing lift strut, and rudder. The pilot stated that just prior to the accident flight he added hydraulic brake fluid to the brake system. In the pilot's written report he indicated that a postaccident inspection revealed that the main wheels would not rotate. He wrote that when he bled the hydraulic brake system, both air and pressurized hydraulic fluid escaped from the bleed valve. After bleeding the hydraulic system, both wheels operated normally.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.