Piper PA-18 accident near Squaw Lake, Alaska, June 19, 1983
On June 19, 1983 at about 6:30 am local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N1184C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Squaw Lake, Alaska (Squaw Lake 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 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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 19, 1983 · about 6:30 am local time
- Place
- Squaw Lake, Alaska · Squaw Lake
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N1184C · registry record · serial 18-2467
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT GROUND-LOOPED DURING LANDING ON A 2000 FOOT GRAVEL RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED THAT AS HE APPROACHED RUNWAY 8 HIS AIRSPEED WAS TOO HIGH AND HE ALSO WAS DRIFTING TO THE RIGHT. DURING TOUCHDOWN HE LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND ALLOWED THE ACFT TO CONTINUE TO GROUNDLOOP TO AVOID A 5 FOOT DROP AT THE RUNWAYS END. THE WIND WAS FROM 270 DEGREES AT 8 KTS.
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: 112 hours in all; 52 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 65 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,758 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 1, 1983; 52 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,760 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FAI Fairbanks AK at 7:30 am
- Destination: Squaw Lake AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 2,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 80 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 30°F (-1°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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC83LA102.