Piper PA-20 accident near Eagle River, Alaska, August 24, 1982
On August 24, 1982 at about 3:30 am local time, a Piper PA-20, registered N7773K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Eagle River, 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 24, 1982 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Eagle River, Alaska
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-20 · all PA-20s on the register
- Registration
- N7773K · no longer on the register · serial 1700-21
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ENG LOST POWER ABOUT 750 FT AFTER A WATER TAKEOFF. THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT LANDING ROOM ON THE LAKE & THE ACFT HIT A DIKE. THE PILOT STATED HE FUELS THE ACFT FROM 5 GALLON CANS DUE TO NONAVAIABILITY OF AVIATION FUEL AT FIRE LAKE. APPROXIMATELY 2 CUPS OF WATER WAS FOUND IN CARBURETOR, FUEL LINES, GAS SEDIMATE BOWL AND TANKS.
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: 196 hours in all; 59 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,325 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Eagle River AK at 7:25 pm
- Destination: Eagle River AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 131°F (55°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.
Other NTSB records under N7773K 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.