Piper PA-18 accident near Kenai, Alaska, December 20, 1991
On December 20, 1991 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N8678D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kenai, Alaska (None airport). 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
ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO FUEL CONTAMINATION. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS UNSUITABLE TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 20, 1991 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Kenai, Alaska · None · 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
- N8678D · no longer on the register · serial 18-6282
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER REACHING ABOUT 50 FEET AGL DURING THE TAKEOFF CLIMB, THE ENGINE LOST PARTIAL POWER FOR A FEW SECONDS THEN QUIT COMPLETELY. HE LANDED STRAIGHT AHEAD, COMING TO REST IN THE TREES ABOUT 600 TO 800 FEET FROM THE END OF THE STRIP. AFTER NUMEROUS METAL SLIVERS WERE REMOVED FROM THE CARBURETOR THE ENGINE OPERATED NORMALLY. THE SOURCE OF THE METAL SLIVERS WAS NOT DETERMINED.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 882 hours in all; 860 in this make and model; 882 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 18, 1990; 117 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 1,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 10°F (-12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 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 N8678D 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.