Piper PA-18 accident near Wasilla, Alaska, December 6, 1987
On December 6, 1987 at about 12:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N1237A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wasilla, 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
- December 6, 1987 · about 12:15 pm local time
- Place
- Wasilla, Alaska
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N1237A · no longer on the register · serial 181030
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF WHEN HE LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT CAUSING THE RIGHT MAIN SKI TO BREAK THROUGH THE ICE; THE AIRCRAFT THEN GROUND LOOPED.
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: 300 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,552 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 12, 1987; 67 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: AKN King Salmon AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 14°F (-10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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 N1237A 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.