Piper PA-20 accident near Wasilla, Alaska, July 16, 1992
On July 16, 1992 at about 1:30 am local time, a Piper PA-20, registered N7096K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wasilla, 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'S IMPROPER PREFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION, AND HIS DELAYED ABORTED TAKEOFF. CONTRIBUTING WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO USE THE AIRPLANE PERFORMANCE DATA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 16, 1992 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Wasilla, Alaska
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-20 · all PA-20s on the register
- Registration
- N7096K · no longer on the register · serial 20-203
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF THE FLOATPLANE WOULD CLIMB NO HIGHER THAN 5 TO 10 FEET ABOVE THE WATER. THE PILOT CUT THE THROTTLE AND THE AIRPLANE LANDED HARD IN A SMALL POND LIKE MARSHY AREA JUST PAST THE LAKE FROM WHERE THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED. THE PILOT DID NOT HOLD A SEAPLANE RATING. THE PILOT SAID THE AIRPLANE WAS LOADED TO WITHIN ABOUT 50 POUNDS OF ITS MAXIMUM CERTIFICATED GROSS WEIGHT. THE PILOT AND A WITNESS SAID IT WAS A HOT DAY AND THERE WAS NO WIND.
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: 410 hours in all; 330 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 325 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,980 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1991; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Red Shirt Lake AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°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.