Piper PA-18 accident near Soldotna, Alaska, April 25, 1983
On April 25, 1983 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N4396Z, was destroyed in an accident near Soldotna, Alaska (Soldotna airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- April 25, 1983 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Soldotna, Alaska · Soldotna · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N4396Z · registry record · serial 18-8727
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT MANEUVERING ERRATICALLY NEAR THE ARPT & ANTICIPATED THE ACCIDENT. THE 1ST APPROACH TO RWY 25WAS DESCRIBED AS ERRATIC WITH MINIMAL APPARENT CONTROL WHICH INCLUDED AN ABRUPT PULL-UP, STALL, BOUNCE, & GO-AROUND IN ALEFT PATTERN AT 300 FT AGL. THE 2ND BASE LEG WAS A VERY SHALLOW(FLAT/SKIDDING) TURN & THE ACFT DISAPPEARED BEHIND TREES.THE PLT HAD A HISTORY OF DISEQUILIBRIUM & HAD INTERMITTENTLY BEEN TAKING DYAZIDE FOR HYPERTENSION OF UNKNOWN DOSES. ALL OF THE PLT'S PHYSICIANS & SURGEONS DECLINED TO PROVIDE INFORMATION. THE PLT HAD NOT OBTAINED A MEDICAL CERTIFICATE SINCE12/28/77.
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
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Unknown (expired)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 69 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Kenai AK
- Destination: SXQ Soldotna AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 4,973 ft by 130 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from SXQ, 8 miles away
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.