Artic Aircraft Corp. INTERSTATE S1B1 accident near Talkeetna, Alaska, May 14, 1990
On May 14, 1990 at about 3:00 am local time, a Artic Aircraft Corp. INTERSTATE S1B1, registered N73AR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Talkeetna, Alaska. It was a business 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
FUEL CONTAMINATION WHICH PRECLUDED THE ENGINE FROM DEVELOPING THE NECESSARY POWER TO CLEAR THE MOUNTAIN RIDGE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 14, 1990 · about 3:00 am local time
- Place
- Talkeetna, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Artic Aircraft Corp. INTERSTATE S1B1 INTERSTATE
- Registration
- N73AR · registry record · serial 1024
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND ADDED FULL POWER AND ATTEMPTED TO CLIMB OVER A RIDGE WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SPUTTER. HE WAS FORCED TO LAND ON UNIMPROVED TERRAIN. EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL IN THE AIRPLANE REVEALED BROWN FLAKES WHICH WERE EXAMINED AND FOUND TO BE FLAKES OF GASOLINE VARNISH. THE PILOT STATED THE AIRPLANE HAD SAT WITHOUT OPERATING FOR A LONG TIME PRIOR TO HIS PURCHASE OF THE AIRPLANE.
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: 980 hours in all; 58 in this make and model; 58 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 931 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 349 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 17, 1990; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Z70 Cantwell AK at 7:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:00 pm
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.