Piper PA-18 accident near Koyukuk, Alaska, March 14, 1985
On March 14, 1985 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N62744, was substantially damaged in an accident near Koyukuk, 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
- March 14, 1985 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Koyukuk, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N62744 · registry record · serial 187809109
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLTS OF N62744 & THREE OTHER ACFT WERE ON AN AERIAL HUNTING FLT. WITNESSES IN TWO OF THE OTHER ACFT STATED THE PLT OF N62744 WAS MANEUVERING NEAR A WOLVERINE, BUT WAS FLYING TOO FAST. HE ANNOUNCED ON THE RADIO THAT HE WAS GOING TO COME BACK FOR ANOTHER PASS. THE ACFT ENTERED A STEEP CLIMBING TURN TO THE LEFT, BUT STALLED AT APRX 150 FT AGL, THEN COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND. AN EXAM OF THE CRASH SITE REVEALED THE ACFT HAD IMPACTED LEFT WING 1ST, WITH LITTLE OR NO ROTATION. THE PLT/OWNER WAS NOT USING A SHOULDER HARNESS THAT WAS INSTALLED IN THE ACFT.
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: 685 hours in all; 620 in this make and model; 643 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 662 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 15, 1984; 86 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GAL Galena AK at 1:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 10:30 am
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.
Other NTSB records under N62744 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.