Piper PA-18-150 and Cessna 180H mid-air collision near Platinum, Alaska, May 21, 1984
On May 21, 1984 at about 11:59 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Piper PA-18-150 (N82454) and Cessna 180H (N4798U), were involved in a mid-air collision near Platinum, Alaska. 2 people were killed. 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 21, 1984 · about 11:59 pm local time
- Place
- Platinum, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N82454 · no longer on the register · serial 7809140
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 180H · all 180Hs on the register
- Registration
- N4798U · no longer on the register · serial 18051498
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-18-150 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HERRING SEASON WAS TO OPEN AT 1600 HRS. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, ABOUT 30 ACFT WERE CIRCLING IN LEFT TURNS OVER MERGING SCHOOLS OF HERRING WHILE THE PLTS & THEIR RESPECTIVE BOAT CREWS WERE AWAITING THE OPENING SIGNALS. THE ACFT WERE CIRCLING UNDER A LOW OVERCAST WHERE THE HERRING WERE MERGING NEAR A SHORELINE. TWO ACFT (A PIPER PA-18, N82554, & A CESSNA 182H, N4798U) COLLIDED WHILE THE PLTS WERE SPOTTING FISH. OF 6 WITNESSES WHO SAW THE COLLISION 5 AGREED THAT THE CESSNA WAS CONVERGING FROM INSIDE THE RADIUS OF THE PIPER'S TURN. AFTER COLLIDING, BOTH ACFT IMPACTED ON A BLUFF NEAR THE SHORELINE. WITNESSES USED SUCH TERMS AS 'FRANTIC', 'CHAOTIC' & 'INSANE' WHEN THEY DESCRIBED THE FLT ACTIVITY OVER THE FISH AT THE OPENING OF THE HERRING SEASON WITH ITS LUCRATIVE REWARDS.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 180H final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HERRING SEASON WAS TO OPEN AT 1600 HRS. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, ABOUT 30 ACFT WERE CIRCLING IN LEFT TURNS OVER MERGING SCHOOLS OF HERRING WHILE THE PLTS & THEIR RESPECTIVE BOAT CREWS WERE AWAITING THE OPENING SIGNAL. THE ACFT WERE CIRCLING UNDER A LOW OVERCAST WHERE THE HERRING WERE MERGING NEAR A SHORELINE. TWO ACFT (A PIPER PA-18, N82454, & A CESSNA 182H, N4798U) COLLIDED WHILE THE PLTS WERE SPOTTING FISH. OF 6 WITNESSES WHO SAW THE COLLISION, 5 AGREED THAT THE CESSNA WAS CONVERGING FROM INSIDE THE RADIUS OF THE PIPER'S TURN. AFTER COLLIDING, BOTH ACFT IMPACTED ON A BLUFF NEAR THE SHORELINE. WITNESSES USED SUCH TERMS AS 'FRANTIC', 'CHAOTIC' & 'INSANE' WHEN THEY DESCRIBED THE FLT ACTIVITY OVER THE FISH AT THE OPENING OF THE HERRING SEASON WITH ITS LUCRATIVE REWARDS.
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 for the Piper PA-18-150 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 4,348 hours in all; 98 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 806 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 15, 1984; 84 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,760 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Asigyugpak Bay AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; not recorded at 500 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Cessna 180H from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,329 hours in all; 4,230 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,588 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,820 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Aspigyugpak Spi AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
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.