Danchini Aero Danchini Cub accident near Wasilla, Alaska, November 24, 2025
On November 24, 2025 at about 11:00 pm local time, a 2021 Danchini Aero Danchini Cub, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N794AK, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Wasilla, Alaska (Wolf Lake 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
The pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection, and inadequate inflight fuel management, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation and subsequent forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 24, 2025 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Wasilla, Alaska · Wolf Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Danchini Aero Danchini Cub, built 2021, amateur-built
- Registration
- N794AK · registry record · serial 001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that prior to takeoff he moved the fuel selector valve from left fuel tank to the both position. Shortly after takeoff the engine lost all power, unable to return to the runway the pilot performed a forced landing onto a road. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings. After the accident, the pilot realized he mistook the fuel selector handle for the indicator and misinterpreted the position the fuel selector was in. He had actually turned the fuel to the off position prior to takeoff, not the both position as he believed he had. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Fuel starvation during initial climb defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during initial climb
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Pilot
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,565 hours in all; 68 in this make and model; 5,420 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 12, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Aero Recip O-340 (piston); 996 hours total
- Operator: Flying Dutchman LLC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 08/2, 3,800 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 16°F (-9°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.08 inHg
- Observation at 2:00 pm from AWS, 9 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR PAWS 242256Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR M09/M11 A3008 RMK AO2 SLP161 T10941111 FZRANO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on June 25, 2026. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 4 | Video File | MOV file | Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.