Piper PA-18-150 accident near Eagle, Alaska, August 14, 1983
On August 14, 1983 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N4894A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Eagle, Alaska (Prade Ground airport). 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
- August 14, 1983 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Eagle, Alaska · Prade Ground · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N4894A · registry record · serial 18-4996
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE FELT THE ENGINE DID NOT DEVELOP FULL POWER DURING TAKEOFF, POSSIBLY DUE TO FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICE DURING RAIN SHOWERS. INSTEAD OF ABORTING, HE CONTINUED AND THE ACFT STRUCK TREES ON THE DEPARTURE.
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: 76 hours in all; 48 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 32 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,255 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 3, 1983; 48 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: FBK Fairbanks AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 1,600 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,000 ft; not recorded at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from ORT, 110 miles away
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 N4894A 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.