Piper PA-18-150 and Cessna 185F mid-air collision near Larson Bay, Alaska, May 3, 1988
On May 3, 1988 at about 11:45 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Piper PA-18-150 (N54768) and Cessna 185F (N9030R), were involved in a mid-air collision near Larson Bay, Alaska. 1 person was killed; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 3, 1988 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Larson Bay, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N54768 · no longer on the register · serial 187609055
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 185F · all 185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N9030R · registry record · serial 1851244
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-18-150 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A FLOAT EQUIPPED PIPER PA-18-150 AND FLOAT EQUIPPED CESSNA 185F, WERE INVOLVED IN A MIDAIR COLLISION AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 800 FEET MSL OVER LARSON BAY, AK. AT THE TIME OF THE MIDAIR COLLISION BOTH AIRCRAFT WERE BEING USED AS FISH SPOTTERS FOR SEVERAL FISHING BOATS IN THE AREA. THE PA-18-150 WAS DESTROYED AND THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE CESSNA 185F RECEIVED NO DAMAGE AND THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. BOTH ACFT WERE FLYING PARALLEL TO EACH OTHER WITH THE PIPER SLIGHTLY LOWER. ACCORDING TO THE CESSNA PLT HE SPOTTED THE PIPER BELOW HIM WHEN THE PIPER TURNED TO THE LEFT. THE CESSNA PLT SAID HE THEN TURNED RT AND PULLED UP BUT HIS LEFT FLOAT CONTACTED THE PIPER'S RT WING. THE IMPACT DID NOT SEEM SEVERE ACCORDING TO THE CESSNA PLT AND THE ONLY DAMAGE HE NOTED ON THE PIPER WAS TO THE OUTBOARD END OF THE RT WING. THE PIPER, HOWEVER, CONTINUED A LEFT SPIRAL TO THE WATER. THE CESSNA PLT SAID HE THOUGHT THE BOATS SHOULD WARN THE PLTS ON A COMMON RADIO FREQ WHEN TWO ACFT ARE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 185F final · quoted from the NTSB record
A FLOAT EQUIPPED PIPER PA-18-150 AND FLOAT EQUIPPED CESSNA 185F, WERE INVOLVED IN A MIDAIR COLLISION AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 800 FEET MSL OVER LARSON BAY, AK. AT THE TIME OF THE MIDAIR COLLISION BOTH AIRCRAFT WERE BEING USED AS FISH SPOTTERS FOR SEVERAL FISHING BOATS IN THE AREA. THE PA-18-150 WAS DESTROYED AND THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE CESSNA 185F RECEIVED NO DAMAGE AND THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. BOTH ACFT WERE FLYING PARALLEL TO EACH OTHER WITH THE PIPER SLIGHTLY LOWER. ACCORDING TO THE CESSNA PLT HE SPOTTED THE PIPER BELOW HIM. WHEN THE PIPER TURNED TO THE LEFT THE CESSNA PLT SAID HE THEN TURNED RT AND PULLED UP BUT HIS LEFT FLOAT CONTACTED THE PIPER RT WING. THE IMPACT DID NOT SEEM SEVERE ACCORDING TO THE CESSNA PLT AND THE ONLY DAMAGE HE NOTED ON THE PIPER WAS TO THE OUTBOARD END OF THE RT WING. THE PIPER, HOWEVER, CONTINUED A LEFT SPIRAL TO THE WATER. THE CESSNA PLT SAID HE THOUGHT THE BOATS SHOULD WARN THE PLTS ON A COMMON RADIO FREQ WHEN TWO ACFT ARE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY.
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 for the Piper PA-18-150 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,550 hours in all; 60 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 11,550 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 7, 1988; 83 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Cessna 185F from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,666 hours in all; 1,015 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 3,523 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 25, 1987; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC88FA052.