Piper PA-18 accident near Sleetmute, Alaska, September 11, 2000
On September 11, 2000 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N9692P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sleetmute, Alaska. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of aircraft control precipitated by the pilot's inadvertent stall. Factors associated with the accident are the disengagement of the stabilizer trim system, which resulted in reduced aircraft control, an inadvertent stall by the pilot, and a large set of moose antlers attached to the left float, which disrupted the airflow over the stabilizer.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 11, 2000 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Sleetmute, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N9692P · registry record · serial 18-7509036
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that immediately after takeoff, he had difficulty lowering the float-equipped airplane's nose. The airplane stalled and impacted the water. The pilot said he thought the elevator trim did not function. He also stated that there was a large moose rack tied to the left float. Postaccident inspection by two FAA inspectors revealed the stabilizer rear trim mechanism was in the neutral position and rotated freely. The rear stabilizer hinge was free to rotate. The stabilizer trim actuator handle in the cockpit was missing, and the actuator would only partially engage. The inspectors could not determine if the damage was preaccident or postaccident.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,500 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 1,400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2000; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: SLQ AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N9692P the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC00LA119.