Piper PA-18A-150 accident near Golovin, Alaska, March 10, 1992
On March 10, 1992, a Piper PA-18A-150, registered N7685D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Golovin, Alaska. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PROPER ALTITUDE WAS NOT MAINTAINED. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: INADVERTENT VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC, FOG, SNOW, AND NIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 10, 1992
- Place
- Golovin, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18A-150 · all PA-18A-150s on the register
- Registration
- N7685D · registry record · serial 18-5908
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE MANEUVERING ALONG THE COAST LINE AT A LOW ALTITUDE, THE FLIGHT INADVERTENTLY ENCOUNTERED IMC AND THE PILOT LOST GROUND REFERENCE. THE PILOT DECIDED TO TURN AROUND AND DURING THE TURN, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE SEA ICE.
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: 1,030 hours in all; 930 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,867 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 25, 1992; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,749 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ELI Elim AK at 7:15 pm
- Destination: WMO White Mountain AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.