Piper PA32 accident near Wrangell, Alaska, September 3, 2018
On September 3, 2018 at about 9:53 pm local time, a 1975 Piper PA32, registered N3957X, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Wrangell, 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The total loss of engine power due to oil starvation after an interruption of oil circulation for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 3, 2018 · about 9:53 pm local time
- Place
- Wrangell, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA32 300, built 1975 · all PA32s on the register
- Registration
- N3957X · no longer on the register · serial 32-7640003
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, while in level cruise flight, the engine rpm began to increase. Shortly after reducing the manifold pressure in an effort to correct for the high RPM, he noticed the engine oil pressure drop with oil visible on the airplane’s windscreen, followed by a total loss of engine power. He performed an emergency landing near the high tide line in an area of seagrass. During the emergency landing the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing. Examination of the engine revealed a large fracture hole at the Nos. 4- and 5-cylinder pads. The Nos. 4 and 5 connecting rods were fragmented, and pieces of the connecting rods and a large amount of metal debris was located within the engine. A large amount of metal contamination was present in the oil suction screen. The Nos. 4 and 5 connecting rods and rod bearing journals exhibited extensive mechanical damage and signatures consistent with exposure to extreme high heat. The damage to the internal engine components, the large amount of metal contamination in the oil screen, and the significant metal debris inside the engine were all consistent with a catastrophic engine failure due to a lack of lubrication. The source of the interruption of oil circulation to the engine could not be determined after engine disassembly.
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 (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng oil sys › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,692 hours in all; 488 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 1,650 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,228.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 12, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming TI0-540-K1G5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Ketchikan AK
- Destination: Juneau AK
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 9:56 pm from PAWG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on August 20, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Wreckage Examination Summary | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Lycoming Service Bulletin 480F | PDF, 16 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N3957X 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.