Piper PA-18 accident near Anchorage, Alaska, August 12, 1990
On August 12, 1990 at about 8:05 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N7087B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Merrill airport). 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 FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR RAN THE RIGHT TANK DRY. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING AND DECISIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 12, 1990 · about 8:05 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Merrill · map
- 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
- N7087B · no longer on the register · serial 185169
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT PILOT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA AFTER AN ENGINE FAILURE. A COMPLETE ENGINE EXAMINATION REVEALED NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURES. THE EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL TANKS REVEALED NOTHING THAT WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO AN ENGINE FAILURE. INSPECTION OF THE FUEL TANKS REVEALED THAT THERE WAS FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK BUT NO FUEL IN THE RIGHT TANK. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT THE ENGINE QUIT IN-FLIGHT SHORTLY AFTER SWITCHING FUEL TANKS.
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; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,352 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 4,290 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 19, 1989; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:15 pm from MRI, 1 miles away
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.
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.