Piper PA-18-105 SPECIAL accident near Gakona, Alaska, May 10, 2021
On May 10, 2021 at about 11:00 pm local time, a 1950 Piper PA-18-105 SPECIAL, registered N5489H, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Gakona, Alaska. 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
The pilot’s decision to initiate a flight with a failed mixture control cable which resulted in a total loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 10, 2021 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Gakona, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-105 SPECIAL, built 1950 · all PA-18-105 SPECIALs on the register
- Registration
- N5489H · registry record · serial 18-80
- 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 tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, the mixture control had been "working really hard" during the initial flight, so he landed at a remote site to investigate. Once on the ground, he found that the mixture control cable, just behind the instrument panel, had failed. He manually opened the mixture control lever and departed for his destination airport. While en route, at about 700 ft above ground level the engine lost all power. He made an emergency off-airport landing to a heavily forested area and the airplane impacted several small to medium sized spruce trees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and left lift strut. The pilot stated that after the accident, he found the mixture control arm had that the mixture control arm had become detached from his previous temporary repair, and it was in the closed position. Additionally, he noted that he made a poor decision to fly the airplane with a failed mixture control cable.
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
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine controls › Mixture control › Inoperative
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 20,000 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 20,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 23, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (waiver time limited special)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,319.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 20, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.71 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from PAGK, 9 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PAGK 152153Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM SCT050 BKN090 11/M02 A2971 RMK AO2 RAB25E41 SLP071 P0000 T01061022 TSNO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on November 12, 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 | Record of Conversation (Pilot) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photo (Source Unknown) | PDF, 1 page | 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 N5489H 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.