Piper PA-20 accident near Big Delta, Alaska, June 6, 1984
On June 6, 1984 at about 4:30 am local time, a Piper PA-20, registered N8510C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Big Delta, Alaska. 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
- June 6, 1984 · about 4:30 am local time
- Place
- Big Delta, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-20 · all PA-20s on the register
- Registration
- N8510C · no longer on the register · serial 22-1225
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT SWITCHED THE TANK SELECTOR WHILE CRUISING IN FLT AND THE ENGINE QUIT. HE SAID HE THEN PRIMED THE ENGINE AND TRIED TO START IT, BUT FAILED. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE & THE ACFT NOSED OVER. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE ACFT WAS RIGHTED, THE TANK SELECTOR WAS APPROPRIATELY CHANGED & THE ENGINE WAS STARTED & RAN NORMALLY. THE INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS PROPERLY LABELED AND OPERATED NORMALLY.
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: 95 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 95 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,059 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 21, 1983; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,850 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 25AK Delta Junction AK at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:57 pm from BIG, 10 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 N8510C 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.