Piper PA-18 accident near Delta Junction, Alaska, April 29, 1993
On April 29, 1993 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N2578P, was destroyed in an accident near Delta Junction, Alaska. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A LOSS OF CONTROL FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 29, 1993 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Delta Junction, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N2578P · no longer on the register · serial 4320
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE REAR SEAT PAX, A COMMERCIALLY-RATED PILOT, STATED THAT WHILE FLYING AT A LOW ALTITUDE UP INTO A CANYON, HE TOLD THE FRONT SEAT PILOT TO TURN RIGHT & EXIT THE CANYON. THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED; THEN THE WINGS ROCKED, FOLLOWED BY AN ABRUPT & STEEP LEFT TURN, THEN IMPACT. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT THE 4,500-FT LEVEL OF A MOUNTAINSIDE, ABOUT 200 FT BELOW THE TOP. THE SLOPE WAS APRX 25-30 DEG. THE PAX ALSO STATED THAT JUST BEFORE THE WINGS ROCKED, THE PILOT WAS UP AGAINST THE LEFT FORWARD SIDE OF THE COCKPIT, AND SAID '...I CAN'T HELP IT, I CAN'T HELP IT.'
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
Crew member
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,000 hours in all; 900 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: D66 at 10:00 am
- Destination: D66
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:52 am from BIG, 28 miles away
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.