Aeronca 15AC accident near Memory Lake, Alaska, June 15, 1992
On June 15, 1992 at about 11:50 pm local time, a Aeronca 15AC, registered N1480H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Memory Lake, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL EXHAUSTION. FACTORS INCLUDE INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING, LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRCRAFT, AND UNSUITABLE TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 15, 1992 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- Memory Lake, Alaska
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 15AC · all 15ACs on the register
- Registration
- N1480H · no longer on the register · serial 15AC-550
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE AERONCA 15AC HAD 'GONE LIGHT' ON FUEL BECAUSE OF THE WEIGHT OF THE PASSENGERS AND THEIR CARGO. DUE TO HIS LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRCRAFT FUEL INDICATING SYSTEM, HE WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE EXACT AMOUNT OF USABLE FUEL REMAINING. FUEL EXHAUSTION OCCURRED WHILE ON DOWNWIND AT HIS DESTINATION, AND THE PILOT EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING IN UNSUITABLE TERRAIN.
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: 201 hours in all; 44 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 139 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Shulin Lake AK at 6:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.