Artic Aircraft Corp. S-1B2 accident near Palmer, Alaska, May 30, 1983
On May 30, 1983 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Artic Aircraft Corp. S-1B2, registered N64AT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palmer, 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
- May 30, 1983 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Palmer, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Artic Aircraft Corp. S-1B2
- Registration
- N64AT · registry record · serial 1015
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT NOSED OVER WHILE TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF ON A SAND BAR. THE PLT STATED THAT HE WAS DEMONSTRATING HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ACFT ON SAND AND GRAVEL TO HIS PASSENGER. THE ACFT PASSED OVER A LARGE HUMMOCK AND SETTLED INTO SOFT SAND WHERE IT NOSED OVER. THE PLT STATED THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF AND LANDINGS HE BECAME MORE AGRESSIVE AND LESS ATTENTIVE. HE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT HE WAS TAXIING TOO FAST AND THAT HE PURPOSELY TAXIED OVER THE HUMMOCK TO USE IT AS A REFERENCE FOR HIS GROUND RUN. THIS SAND BAR IS SUBJECT TO SOFT AREAS DURING HIGH TIDES. A HIGH FLOOD TIDE HAD OCCURRED EARLIER ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 846 hours in all; 325 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 415 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 28, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ANC Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 2,500 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; not recorded at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N64AT 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.