Piper PA-18-150 accident near Molly Creek, Alaska, July 10, 1992
On July 10, 1992 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N3997Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Molly Creek, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT MISJUDGED HIS TERRAIN CLEARANCE WHEN PLANNING HIS TAKEOFF. FACTORS INCLUDE HIGH VEGETATION AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 10, 1992 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Molly Creek, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N3997Z · registry record · serial 18-7946
- 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 HE HAD USED THIS LANDING STRIP AT LEAST TWENTY TIMES WITH NO PROBLEMS. ON THIS OCCURRENCE, THE LANDING SEEMED NO DIFFERENT, BUT DURING THE TAKEOFF THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED INTO BRUSH ON THE EAST END OF THE STRIP AND FLIPPED OVER THE EMBANKMENT, WHERE IT CAME TO A REST ON ITS BACK.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 9,999 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 2, 1992; 125 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: CKX Chicken AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 75°F (24°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.
Other NTSB records under N3997Z 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.