Piper PA-18A accident near Montague Island, Alaska, September 17, 1984
On September 17, 1984 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18A, registered N8469D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Montague Island, 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
- September 17, 1984 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Montague Island, Alaska
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18A · all PA-18As on the register
- Registration
- N8469D · registry record · serial 18-6169
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT WAS ATTEMPTING TAKEOFF FROM A SAND BAR WHICH WAS NOT ONLY SOFT BUT SLOPED TO THE RIGHT TOWARD THE WATER. ON TAKEOFF ROLL, THE TAILWHEEL WAS RAISED PREMATURELY AND DIRECTIONAL CONTROL COULD NOT BE MAINTAINED WITH RUDDER. THE AIRCRAFT DRIFTED DOWNSLOPE TOWARD THE WATER AND COLLIDED WITH BEACH JETSAM.
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: 154 hours in all; 51 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 111 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,980 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 27, 1984; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Montague Island AK
- Destination: Montague Beach AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 70 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.