Piper PA-18-150 and Cessna 305A mid-air collision near Tatitlek, Alaska, April 9, 1991
On April 9, 1991 at about 6:00 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Piper PA-18-150 (N6966D) and Cessna 305A (N5193G), were involved in a mid-air collision near Tatitlek, Alaska. 1 person was killed; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF BOTH PILOTS TO SEE-AND-AVOID EACH OTHER (INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT). A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: INADEQUATE COMMUNICATIONS AMONG ALL PARTICIPATING AIRCREWS.
FAILURE OF BOTH PILOTS TO SEE-AND-AVOID EACH OTHER (INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT). A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: INADEQUATE COMMUNICATION AMONG ALL PARTICIPATING AIRCREWS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 9, 1991 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Tatitlek, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N6966D · no longer on the register · serial 18-5547
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 305A · all 305As on the register
- Registration
- N5193G · no longer on the register · serial 21997
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-18-150 final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE PLTS OF ABT 50 FISH SPOTTING ACFT WERE FLYING IN THE VCNTY OF BOULDER BAY, CIRCLING & WAITING FOR OPENING OF HERRING FISHING. EACH SPOTTING PLT WAS TEAMED WITH ASSOCIATED FISHING VESSELS. THE SPOTTING PLTS WERE IN COMMUNICATION WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE FISHING VESSELS, BUT NOT WITH EACH OTHER. SUBSEQUENTLY, 2 OF THE ACFT (PIPER PA-18, N6966D & CESSNA 305A, N5193G) CONVERGED & COLLIDED. THE PA-18 PLT SAID THAT HE HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED IN LEVEL FLT FOR ABT 1 MI AT 1200' & 85 TO 88 KTS WHEN THE COLLISION OCCURRED. JUST BEFORE IMPACT, HE NOTED THE CESSNA 305 CONVERGING FROM HIS LEFT REAR QUARTER, SLIGHTLY LOW, & IN A SLIGHT LEFT BANK. AFTER IMPACT, THE CESSNA WENT OUT OF CONTROL & CRASHED ON MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE PA-18 SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO ITS FUSELAGE & FLOAT/STRUT SYS, BUT THE PLT WAS ABLE TO LAND SUCCESSFULLY.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 305A final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE PLTS OF ABT 50 FISH SPOTTING ACFT WERE FLYING IN THE VCNTY OF BOULDER BAY, CIRCLING & WAITING FOR OPENING OF HERRING FISHING. EACH SPOTTING PLT WAS TEAMED WITH ASSOCIATED FISHING VESSELS. THE SPOTTING PLTS WERE IN COMMUNICATION WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE FISHING VESSELS, BUT NOT WITH EACH OTHER. SUBSEQUENTLY, 2 OF THE ACFT (PIPER PA-18, N6966D & CESSNA 305A, N5193G) CONVERGED & COLLIDED. THE PA-18 PLT SAID THAT HE HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED IN LEVEL FLT FOR ABT 1 MI AT 1200' & 85 TO 88 KTS WHEN THE COLLISION OCCURRED. JUST BEFORE IMPACT, HE NOTED THE CESSNA 305 CONVERGING FROM HIS LEFT REAR QUARTER, SLIGHTLY LOW, & IN A SLIGHT LEFT BANK. AFTER IMPACT, THE CESSNA WENT OUT OF CONTROL & CRASHED ON MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE PA-18 SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO ITS FUSELAGE & FLOAT/STRUT SYS, BUT THE PLT WAS ABLE TO LAND SUCCESSFULLY.
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 for the Piper PA-18-150 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 3,800 hours in all; 3,500 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 3,800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,388 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 26, 1991; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Boulder Bay AK at 12:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 2,200 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Cessna 305A 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: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-11 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Boulder Bay AK at 12:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
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 N6966D the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.