Piper PA-20 accident near Near Mcgrath, Alaska, September 2, 1982
On September 2, 1982 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-20, registered N1510A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Near Mcgrath, 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 2, 1982 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Near Mcgrath, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-20 · all PA-20s on the register
- Registration
- N1510A · no longer on the register · serial 20-698
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, THE PILOT SERVICED THE AIRCRAFT WITH FUEL AND VERIFIED THE RIGHT WING TANK WAS FULL. THE PILOT DID NOT SWITCH THE FUEL SELECTOR FROM THE LEFT FUEL TANK PRIOR TO DEPARTING. DURING A LOW PASS OVER A WOODED AREA, THE ENGINE QUIT. DUE TO THE LOW ALTITUDE, THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO COMPLETE THE EMERGENCY CHECKLIST PROCEDURES AND RESTART THE ENGINE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LANDED IN THE TREES.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 530 hours in all; 462 in this make and model; 487 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,400 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MCG Mcgrath AK at 2:00 pm
- Destination: MCG Mcgrath AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 N1510A 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.