Piper PA-12 accident near Kenai, Alaska, September 15, 1983
On September 15, 1983 at about 2:40 am local time, a Piper PA-12, registered N2430M, was destroyed in an accident near Kenai, Alaska (Kenai airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- September 15, 1983 · about 2:40 am local time
- Place
- Kenai, Alaska · Kenai · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12 · all PA-12s on the register
- Registration
- N2430M · no longer on the register · serial 12-1664
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A RIDGELINE WHEN THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO FLY THROUGH A PASS. THE PASS WAS CRESTED AT ABOUT 3600 FTSURROUNDED BY ELEVATIONS OF OVER 8000 FT MSL. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO GET THROUGH MERRILL PASS BECAUSE OF HUNTERS THAT HAD BEEN STRANDED AT TUNDRA LAKE. THE PILOT SAID HE LEFT FOOD FOR THEM AND WAS GOING TO CONTACT THE AIR TAXI OPERATOR WHO HAD BROUGHT THE HUNTERS THERE AND WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE RETURNED FOR THEM. AS THE PILOT OF THE ACCIDENT ACFT REACHED MERRILL PASS HE SAID THE FOG ROLLED IN FAST AND A DOWNDRAFT PREVENTED HIM FROM CRESTING THE TOP.
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: 450 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 375 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1983; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 12AK Lime Village AK
- Destination: EDF Elmendorf Afb AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 045° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 7,000 ft; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.