Piper PA-18-150 accident near Cantwell, Alaska, September 4, 2004
On September 4, 2004 at about 3:00 am local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N9796P, was destroyed in an accident near Cantwell, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An in-flight fire for an undetermined reason, which resulted in an off-airport forced landing and subsequent destruction of the airplane by fire.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 4, 2004 · about 3:00 am local time
- Place
- Cantwell, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N9796P · no longer on the register · serial 18-7609030
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported he was on a local personal flight with his two dogs, when he saw smoke coming up through the airplanes floorboards. He opened the side window so he could see and breathe better, but the increased air flow made the smoke worse. He made a forced landing in brush, and was able to exit the airplane and get his dogs away from the airplane before it was consumed by fire. The pilot said he was not aware of what initiated the fire, but believes it may have originated near the battery. Due to the remote location, the airplane was not examined by either NTSB or FAA personnel.
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
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire in flight and on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Cantwell AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 315° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 N9796P the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.