Piper PA-18-150 accident near Anchorage, Alaska, June 1, 2002
On June 1, 2002 at about 7:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N6969H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's selection of a fuel tank that did not contain a usable quantity of fuel. Factors associated with the accident are the dirt berm, meteorological conditions conducive to carburetor icing, and carburetor ice.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 1, 2002 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N6969H · registry record · serial 18-7409061
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the accident airplane was flying at 600 feet msl crossing a body of water when he noticed a loss of engine rpm. He pulled on the carburetor heat, and switched from the right wing fuel tank to the left wing fuel tank. The engine rpm increased momentarily, and then the engine quit. The pilot turned toward land, and made an emergency landing. During landing the airplane encountered a dirt berm, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane nosed over. The meteorological conditions were, in part: temperature, 9 degrees Celsius; dew point, 7 degrees Celsius, with visible moisture. Under these conditions, a carburetor icing probability chart reflects serious icing at any power setting. During the postaccident examination the fuel selector valve was found with the left wing fuel tank selected. There was no usable fuel found in the left wing tank, and no evidence of any fuel leak was discovered.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 93 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 37 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,559 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 2, 2001; 92 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAMR Anchorage AK at 2:00 pm
- Destination: Z40 Wasilla AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,200 ft; a few clouds at 1,200 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from MRI, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 ANC02FA042.