Aeronca 15AC accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, March 16, 1989
On March 16, 1989 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Aeronca 15AC, registered N4433N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fairbanks, Alaska. It was an instructional 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 STUDENT PILOT'S INPROPER USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT AND THE INSTRUCTORS FAILURE TO PROPERLY SUPERVISE THE STUDENT ACTIONS WITHIN THE AIRPLANE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 16, 1989 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fairbanks, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 15AC · all 15ACs on the register
- Registration
- N4433N · no longer on the register · serial 15AC322
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT DURING CRUISE FLIGHT THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND SUBSEQUENTLY QUIT. EMERG PROCEDURES WERE FOLLOWED AND THE ENG REGAINED POWER. THE THROTTLE WAS REDUCED TO 2000 RPM IN ORDER TO ALLOW FOR EXTRA TIME TO FIGURE OUT WHAT FAILED. WITH THE THROTTLE REDUCED, THE ENGINE QUITE ONCE AGAIN. THE CFI APPLIED CARB HEAT AND THE STUDENT SUBSEQUENTLY REMOVED CARB HEAT. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES WITH SUBSEQUENT LOSSES AND GAINS IN POWER. THE POWER EVENTUALLY COULD NOT BE REGAINED AND A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE ON A FROZEN SWAMP AREA WHICH WAS COVERED BY 2 1/2 FEET OF SNOW. THE ACFT NOSED OVER DURING THE LANDING.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 560 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 450 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,070 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HRR Healy AK at 4:15 pm
- Destination: FAI Fairbanks AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N4433N 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.