Piper PA-18 accident near Nenana, Alaska, May 3, 1990
On May 3, 1990 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N1192C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nenana, 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE MAIN WHEELS (OR BRAKES) HAD LOCKED FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 3, 1990 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Nenana, 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
- N1192C · registry record · serial 182476
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT SHORTLY AFTER TOUCHDOWN ON A GRAVEL AIRSTRIP IN A REMOTE AREA, THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER, DESPITE HIS ATTEMPTS TO KEEP THE TAIL FROM RAISING. HE SAID THAT AFTER HE EXITED THE AIRCRAFT, HE CHECKED THE WHEELS & THEY WERE 'LOCKED UP.' HE CAMPED OVERNIGHT & WAITED TO BE RESCUED THE NEXT DAY. WHEN HE CHECKED THE BRAKES THE NEXT DAY, THEY WERE FREE TO ROTATE WITH ONLY A SLIGHT DRAG. THE PILOT SAID THAT HE HAD SERVICED THE BRAKES AFTER THE PREVIOUS FLIGHT & THAT HE HAD RELEASED THE PARKING BRAKE. IN A WRITTEN STATEMENT, HE ESTIMATED THE SURFACE TEMPERATURE WAS ABOUT 38 DEG.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 276 hours in all; 215 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 230 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,563 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 11, 1989; 133 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FAI Fairbanks AK at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°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.
Other NTSB records under N1192C 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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 ANC90LA065.