Piper PA-18 accident near Canyon Creek, Alaska, August 4, 1989
On August 4, 1989 at about 4:00 am local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N679RK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Canyon Creek, 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 PILOT'S IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION CONCERNING FUEL MANAGEMENT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: PROBABLE WATER IN THE FUEL, INADEQUATE ALTITUDE FOR AN ENGINE RESTART, AND THE TERRAIN CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 1989 · about 4:00 am local time
- Place
- Canyon Creek, 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
- N679RK · registry record · serial 18-5024
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT ABOUT 15 MIN AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENG LOST POWER. RPRTDLY, IT LOST POWER AFTER THE LEFT TANK EMPTIED. HE SWITCHED TO THE RIGHT TANK, BUT RPRTDLY THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT ALT TO OBTAIN A RESTART BEFORE HE WAS FORCED TO LAND ON ROUGH TERRAIN. THE PLT RPRTD HE NORMALLY OPERATED THE ACFT BY USING FUEL FROM THE LEFT TANK & HAD NOT USED FUEL FROM THE RIGHT TANK IN SEVERAL MONTHS. HE BELIEVED A SMALL AMOUNT OF WATER MAY HAVE COME FROM THE RIGHT TANK & PREVENTED AN IMMEDIATE RESTART OF THE ENG. THE ACDNT OCCURRED IN A REMOTE AREA & THE OCCUPANTS OF THE ACFT WERE NOT RECOVERED FOR SIX DAYS. THE ACFT WAS NOT RETRIEVED (AS OF THE DATE OF THE PLT'S ACDNT RPRT).
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Canyon Creek AK at 10:45 pm
- Destination: DLG Dillingham AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 55°F (13°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.
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.