Piper PA-18-150 accident near Pilot Point, Alaska, September 3, 1984
On September 3, 1984 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N4012Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pilot Point, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was 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
- September 3, 1984 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Pilot Point, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N4012Z · registry record · serial 18-7963
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACFT DEPARTED DENAI, AK, AT 0730 AKDT. WHEN MANUEVERING FOR A LANDING APCH ON DOG SALMON RIVER ACFT STALLED CONTACTING DIRT BANK. PLT WAS CARRYING 8 5-GALLON GASOLINE CANS. 4 CANS WERE STILL SECURED INSIDE THE ACFT AFTER THE ACCIDENT. ONLY 3 OF THE CANS WERE FULL OF GASOLINE. THE REMAINING 5 CANS SUSTAINED IMPACT DAMAGE WHICH IF THEY HAD BEEN FULL, WOULD HAVE ALLOWED THE GASOLINE TO LEAK OUT. ALL THE DAMAGED CANS CONTAINED FUEL RESIDUE.
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: 1,600 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ENA Kenai AK at 10:30 am
- Destination: Dog Salmon Rivr AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°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.
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.