Cessna 140 accident near Wasilla, Alaska, August 23, 1992
On August 23, 1992 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna 140, registered N77073, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wasilla, Alaska. 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 PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO THE SEPARATION OF THE RIGHT HAND EXHAUST STACK. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN ON WHICH THE FORCED LANDING WAS MADE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 23, 1992 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Wasilla, Alaska
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N77073 · no longer on the register · serial 11527
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING CRUISE FLIGHT THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, AND MADE AN OFF AIRPORT FORCED LANDING, WHICH RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE. EXAMINATION FOUND THAT A PIECE OF THE RIGHT HAND EXHAUST STACK HAD SEPARATED AT THE CONFLUENCE OF THE CARBURETOR HEAT EXTRACTION AREA. THE ENGINE OPERATED NORMALLY FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT.
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: 588 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 534 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,700 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 5, 1991; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Z16 Wasilla AK at 6:15 pm
- Destination: Wick'S Airstrip AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 55°F (13°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.
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.