Maule M-4 accident near King Salmon, Alaska, September 23, 1984
On September 23, 1984 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Maule M-4, registered N12023, was substantially damaged in an accident near King Salmon, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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 23, 1984 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- King Salmon, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule M-4 · all M-4s on the register
- Registration
- N12023 · no longer on the register · serial 34
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT AFTER HE LIFTED THE TAIL OFF THE RWY THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED A GUST OF WIND AND HE LOST CONTROL SWERVING INTO A DITCH ADJACENT TO THE RWY.
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: 423 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 356 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,664 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 23, 1984; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AKN King Salmon AK
- Destination: ENA Kenai AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 2,500 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 15 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Observation at 3:55 pm from AKN, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.