Arctic Aircraft S1B2 accident near Shishmaref, Alaska, October 30, 1982
On October 30, 1982 at about 4:50 pm local time, a Arctic Aircraft S1B2, registered N63AT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Shishmaref, Alaska (Shishmaref airport). 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 conditions the NTSB did not record.
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
- October 30, 1982 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Shishmaref, Alaska · Shishmaref · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Arctic Aircraft S1B2
- Registration
- N63AT · registry record · serial 1014
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THIS PILOT FLEW INTO THE GROUND SHORT OF THE RUNWAY, THE PILOT HAS VISUAL DEFICIENCIES ESPECIALLY AT TWILIGHT OR IN DARKNESS. THIS ACCIDENT TOOK PLACE AT TWILIGHT. THE PILOT WAS HAULING REINDEER MEAT AND STATED THE ELEVATOR JAMMED DURING FINAL APPROACH. AN INVESTIGATOR FOUND A FRONT QUARTER OF REINDEER MEAT WEDGED AGAINST THE REAR FLIGHT CONTROL. THIS WAS THE PILOT'S THIRD ACCIDENT/INCIDENT IN ONE YEAR. HE HAD NOT REPORTED ANY OF THE PREVIOUS ACCIDENTS TO FAA/NTSB.
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: 800 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Cape Espenberg AK at 4:15 pm
- Destination: Kotzebue AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 2,000 ft by 55 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: not reported
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.