Piper PA-18 accident near Nulato, AK
On July 6, 1995, a Piper PA-18 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Nulato, AK. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- July 6, 1995
- Place
- Nulato, AK
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 2 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 64.721°N, 158.111°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001207X03827
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On July 5, 1995, approximately 2120 Alaska daylight time, a Piper PA-18 floatplane, N8324, sustained substantial damage when it collided with water while maneuvering in the vicinity of Nulato, Alaska. The airline transport pilot and one of his passengers were seriously injured. A second passenger riding in the extended baggage compartment was fatally injured. No flight plan was filed for the flight, which was operating under 14 CFR 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the scene of the accident. There was no fire and no report of the ELT actuating. Witnesses described the aircraft flying upstream along the Yukon river at low altitude before pulling up in a steep turn, reversing course, and descending steeply into the river. The pilot stated that upon reaching Nulato, he began a climbing left turn to overfly the runway and village, then decided to make an 180 degree turn. He said he could not "say for certain if he had a power loss, but had never before noted any losses in turns prior to this flight. In the turn, it seemed [the] left wing lost lift and could not recover." The pilot and one passenger escaped from the wreckage and were recovered by witnesses. The aircraft floated inverted by its floats after colliding with the water surface. Due to strong current, the airplane floated downstream into a barge. The barge crew attempted to recover the airplane; eventually a bulldozer was used to pull the airplane to shore. Once the airplane was partially out of the water, the fatally injured passenger was removed from the aircraft. AIRCRAFT INFORMATI
Probable cause
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED AND CLEARANCE (ALTITUDE) ABOVE THE WATER, WHILE MANEUVERING AT LOW ALTITUDE. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE PILOT'S IMPROPER DECISION TO ALLOW A PASSENGER TO ACCOMPANY THE FLIGHT WITHOUT A SEAT BELT.
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Browse: Alaska · Piper aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
