Piper PA-18 accident near Woods River, Alaska, June 19, 1991
On June 19, 1991 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N10PC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Woods River, Alaska. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHILE TURNING AFTER A LOW PASS, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. THE WIND GUSTS AND TURBULENCE WERE RELATED FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 19, 1991 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Woods River, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N10PC · registry record · serial 188217
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT MADE A LOW, SLOW PASS OVER THE LANDING AREA. AFTER COMPLETING THE PASS, HE MADE A SHARP BANKED TURN TO THE LEFT AT LOW AIRSPEED, AND THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND CRASHED. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS FOUND THAT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN THE ACCIDENT. A TOXICOLOGY CHECK OF THE PLT'S BLOOD SHOWED A LOW LEVEL OF ETHANOL, BUT NO ETHANOL WAS FOUND IN HIS URINE; THE AMOUNT OF BLOOD/ETHANOL DUE TO PUTREFACTION WAS NOT VERIFIED. THE AIRPLANE WAS LOADED WITH 2 OCCUPANTS, A DOG, 73 LBS OF GROCERIES, AND A 50 LB SACK OF FEED ON EACH WING STRUT, BUT THE INVESTIGATION DID NOT VERIFY THE WEIGHT/DISTRIBUTION. THE PASSENGER REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED WIND GUSTS AND TURBULENCE.
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: 12,000 hours in all; 11,800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, May 1, 1991
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
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 ANC91LA077.