Piper PA-12 accident near King Mountain, Alaska, August 18, 1988
On August 18, 1988 at about 2:00 am local time, a Piper PA-12, registered N5461Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near King Mountain, 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
- August 18, 1988 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- King Mountain, Alaska
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12 · all PA-12s on the register
- Registration
- N5461Y · no longer on the register · serial 12-1466
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND WAS MANEUVERING THROUGH A VALLEY FOR THE SECOND TIME. DURING THE SECOND PASS THE ENGINE LOST POWER. MIXTURE WAS FULL RICH, AND THE PILOT APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT AND WHEN NOTHING HAPPENED HE TURNED THE CARBURETOR HEAT OFF. HE ATTEMPTED A RESTART BY USING THE PRIMER, WHICH WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE PILOT THEN EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING. ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT THE PLT AFTER THE ACC WERE UNSUCCESSFUL.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 230 hours in all; 180 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1988; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ANC Anchorage AK at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 70 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.
Other NTSB records under N5461Y 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.