Piper PA-18 accident near Talkeetna, Alaska, April 22, 1989
On April 22, 1989 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N1738A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Talkeetna, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND THE INADVERTANT STALL/MUSH OF THE AIRPLANE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS ARE THE PILOT'S OVERCONFIDENCE, SELF-INDUCED PRESSURE, MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AND WHITEOUT CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 22, 1989 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Talkeetna, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N1738A · registry record · serial 18-1311
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT HAD TAKEN TWO PASSENGERS FOR A SCENIC RIDE IN HIS ONE PASSENGER AIRPLANE. HE WAS FLYING IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN OVER THE RUTH GLACIER NEAR MOUNT MCKINLEY. HE SAW THE WORD 'HELP' STAMPED IN THE SNOW BY A GROUP OF MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS, TWO OF WHICH WERE INJURED. HE ELECTED TO LAND TO SEE IF HE COULD HELP, BUT ENCOUNTERED REDUCED VISIBILITY DUE TO SNOW AND LOW CLOUDS. HE ATTEMPTED A GO-AROUND BUT STALLED THE AIRPLANE ABOUT 30 FEET AGL. HE AND HIS TWO PASSENGERS ESCAPED WITH MINOR INJURIES AND WAITED RESCUE WITH THE CLIMBERS IN A NEARBY CABIN.
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: 1,095 hours in all; 711 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 1,066 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,653 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 22, 1988; 67 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: BGQ Big Lake AK at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: broken clouds at 100 ft
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.