Citabria 8GCBC accident near Minchumina, Alaska, August 22, 1982
On August 22, 1982 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Citabria 8GCBC, registered N88264, was substantially damaged in an accident near Minchumina, 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 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
- August 22, 1982 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Minchumina, Alaska
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Citabria 8GCBC
- Registration
- N88264 · registry record · serial 9974
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT SELECTED A PROPOSED LANDING SITE ADJACENT TO A LAKE, & AFTER 4 OR 5 LOW PASSES DECIDED TO "DRAG" THE SITE BY ROLLING THE MAIN GEAR ON THE GROUND TO DETERMINE ITS SUITABILITY FOR A LANDING. THE PLT INTENDED TO MARK THE GROUND WITHTHE ACFT TIRES & THEN CIRCLE THE SITE & MAKE A FINAL DETERMINATION. AS THE PLT STARTED TO DRAG THE SITE & THE ACFT SETTLED INTO THE GRASS, THE TIRES CONTACTED ABOUT 3 INCHES OF STANDING WATER & THE ACFT FLIPPED OVER.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,125 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 2,050 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 865 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Fairbanks AK at 7:00 am
- Destination: Fairbanks AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 100 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 140°F (60°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.