Piper PA-18-150 accident near Iliamna, Alaska, June 24, 2008
On June 24, 2008 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N3236P, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Iliamna, Alaska (Iliamna airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power for an undetermined reason during an approach for landing, which resulted in a forced landing and collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 24, 2008 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Iliamna, Alaska · Iliamna · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N3236P · registry record · serial 18-6766
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed a remote area about 20 miles west of his intended destination airport. At that time, the airplane had about 6 gallons of fuel in the left wing fuel tank, and the right wing fuel tank was nearly empty. As the flight approached the airport, the engine began to sputter and lose power. He switched to the right tank, but it ran for only a few seconds, and the engine sputtered. He switched back to the left fuel tank, but the engine continued to sputter, and the airplane lost altitude. He selected a road as a forced landing spot, but was unable to reach the road. The airplane collided with a tree and tundra, about 1.5 miles short of the airport. The pilot said that after the collision, the engine was still running, and he shut it down. The airplane received structural damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot indicated that after the accident, the left fuel tank was still showing about 4 gallons in the left wing tank sight gauge. Recovery personnel reported that they drained about 5 gallons from the left tank during retrieval of the airplane.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (partial) during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Power plant › (general) › Malfunction
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 462 hours in all; 401 in this make and model; 57 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 403 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,488 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 2, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Tularik Creek AK at 12:15 pm
- Destination: PAIL Iliamna AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 18 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from PAIL, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 N3236P 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.