Piper PA-38-112 accident near Eagle River, Alaska, August 17, 1982
On August 17, 1982 at about 4:00 am local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N2409P, 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; 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
- August 17, 1982 · about 4:00 am local time
- Place
- Eagle River, Alaska
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N2409P · no longer on the register · serial 38-79A0980
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A LOCAL FLIGHT, THE PILOT ELECTED TO FLY INTO THE MOUTH OF PETER'S CREEK VALLEY TO LOOK AT A FRIEND'S CABIN. HE STATED THAT AFTER HE FLEW OVER THE CABIN AT ABOUT 1500 FT MSL, HE "INITIATED POWER AND A 180 DEG TURN." HE STATED THAT ON APPLICATION OF FULL POWER, THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND IN ANY WAY. ANTICIPATING A CARBURETOR ICE PROBLEM, HE APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT. HE STATED THERE WAS NO CHANGE IN POWER AFTER THIS STEP, SO HE ELECTED TO EXCHANGE ALTITUDE FOR AIRSPEED TO AGAIN INITIATE A 180 DEG TURN OUT OF THE VALLEY. ALSO, HE STATED POWER WAS CONSISTENTLY DECREASING ALONG WITH A SAFE AREA TO MAKE A TURN. SUBSEQUENTLY, HE ELECTED TO LAND IN THE BEST AREA AVAILABLE WHICH WAS A FAIRLY FLAT KNOLL ON THE SIDE OF THE VALLEY. DURING TOUCHDOWN, THE PLANE IMPACTED IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 2000 FT. NO PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS IDENTIFIED. THE TEMP & DEW POINT WERE 45 & 35 DEG. ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS INDICATED SERIOUS CARB ICING COULD OCCUR AT OR BELOW CRUISE POWER.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,204 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 1,018 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,487 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 77 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MRI Merrill Field AK at 7:30 pm
- Destination: MRI Merrill Field AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 113°F (45°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
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.