Piper PA-18 accident near Ninilchik, Alaska, July 11, 1983
On July 11, 1983 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N1423Z, was destroyed in an accident near Ninilchik, Alaska. It was a business 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
- July 11, 1983 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ninilchik, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N1423Z · registry record · serial 18-1924
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT HAD SELECTED A 1500 FT AREA OF MOIST SAND ALONG A BEACH AREA FOR HIS TAKEOFF. HE STATED THAT THE WIND HAD INCREASED FROM 10 TO 20 KTS DURING HIS 2 1/2 HRS ON THE GROUND. REPORTEDLY, HE TOOK OFF INTO THE WIND WITH 1 NOTCH (10 DEG) OF FLAPS & THE ACFT ROLLED APRX 50 FT & BECAME AIRBORNE. THE PLT EXPERIENCED CONTROL DIFFICULTY AS HE DEPARTED GROUND EFFECT. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT ENTERED A RIGHT BANK, BEGAN DESCENDING, THEN CRASHED. THE PLT STATED THAT THE LEFT WING TANK WAS LOW ON FUEL, WHILE THE RIGHT TANK WAS FULL.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 280 hours in all; 63 in this make and model; 53 in the last 90 days; 2,213 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,585 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 1983; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Polly Creek AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°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.
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 ANC83LA121.