Interstate S-1A accident near Iliamna, Alaska, June 27, 1989
On June 27, 1989 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Interstate S-1A, registered N37209, was substantially damaged in an accident near Iliamna, Alaska (Iliaska airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE ATTEMPTED GO-AROUND. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE ROUGH/UNEVEN TERRAIN AND THE BRUSH BESIDE THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 27, 1989 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Iliamna, Alaska · Iliaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Interstate S-1A · all S-1As on the register
- Registration
- N37209 · no longer on the register · serial 52
- 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 HIT A BUMP IN THE RUNWAY, CAUSING THE AIRPLANE TO BOUNCE DURING LANDING. HE THEN ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A GO-AROUND. THE RIGHT WING HIT SOME SCRUB BRUSH ALONG THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, CAUSING THE PILOT TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND NOSE OVER.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,521 hours in all; 24 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 46 in the last 30 days; 2,461 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,574 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 4, 1989; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N37209 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 ANC89LA104.