Piper PA-18-150 accident near Iliamna, Alaska, August 22, 1992
On August 22, 1992 at about 10:08 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N63805, was substantially damaged in an accident near Iliamna, Alaska (Iliamna 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
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION, HIS IMPROPER COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE TAKEOFF RUN. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE CROSSWIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 22, 1992 · about 10:08 pm local time
- Place
- Iliamna, Alaska · Iliamna · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N63805 · registry record · serial 18-7809110
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE TAKEOFF GROUND RUN THE PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE, LEFT THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. BEFORE TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF, THE PILOT WAS TOLD BY THE AIRPORT BASED FSS THAT THE WINDS WERE GUSTING IN EXCESS OF 30 KNOTS. THE PILOT ELECTED TO ATTEMPT TO TAKEOFF WITH THE CROSSWIND INSTEAD OF USING THE INTERSECTING RUNWAY, WHICH WAS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR USE AT THE TIME.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 943 hours in all; 39 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 760 as pilot in command; 38 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 1900
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 17, 4,800 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 20 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,200 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:52 pm from ILI, 1 miles away
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.
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.