Piper PA-18-150 accident near Manokotak, AK
On April 11, 1997, a Piper PA-18-150 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Manokotak, AK. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- April 11, 1997
- Place
- Manokotak, AK
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 58.881°N, 158.929°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001208X07644
NTSB summary
On April 11, 1997, about 1500 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire equipped Piper PA-18-150 airplane, N8071D, was destroyed by impact forces and a postimpact fire, when it collided with terrain about nine miles south of Manokotak, Alaska. The private pilot and the one passenger aboard were fatally injured. The local flight operated in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight last departed Dillingham, Alaska, time unknown. According to a witness who was riding a snow machine in close proximity to the accident site, the airplane was observed flying very low to the ground, possibly below the top of the banks of the Igushik River. The witness last saw the airplane climb quickly, slow down, and begin a left turn. He lost sight of the airplane, but seconds later heard a loud noise and saw smoke near where he last saw the airplane. He rode his snow machine to the accident site, but was unable to approach the airplane due to an intense fire. An FAA inspector from the Anchorage Flight Standards District Office went to the accident site on April 12. Upon arrival, he said he saw the airplane crashed nose down on nearly level, frozen tundra. He wrote in his report that the airplane "...appeared to stalled and spun into the tundra." He noted the propeller was torn free from the engine, and came to rest about 20 feet from the airplane. He said the engine appeared to have power upon impact due to the torsional load signatures on the propeller. Engine and flight controls were checked for continuity and found to be functional. No evidence of any preimpact mechanical
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed which resulted in an inadvertent stall of the airplane. A factor associated with the accident was the pilot's performance of a low altitude flight maneuver.
More accidents in AK
- Beech 1900C, Nov 23, 1987
- Textron Aviation Inc 208B, Feb 6, 2025
- Dehavilland DHC-3, Jul 7, 2013
- Cessna 208, Oct 10, 2001
- Dehavilland DHC-3, Jun 25, 2015
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.
