Piper PA-18 accident near Willow, Alaska, April 13, 1990
On April 13, 1990 at about 1:00 am local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N40872, was substantially damaged in an accident near Willow, Alaska. 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE FUEL VALVE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 13, 1990 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Willow, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N40872 · registry record · serial 188102
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE CLIMBOUT, THE PILOT SWITCHED THE FUEL TANKS, THE ENGINE QUIT, AND THE AIRPLANE CRASHED INTO A WOODED AREA. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE NEW FUEL VALVE WAS INSTALLED JUST PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE VALVE WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY.
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: 2,000 hours in all; 1,800 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 2,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,305 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1990; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A44 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 90 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.