Artic Aircraft Corp. S-1B2 accident near Johnson Glacier, Alaska, July 31, 1993
On July 31, 1993 at about 8:00 am local time, a Artic Aircraft Corp. S-1B2, registered N59AT, was destroyed in an accident near Johnson Glacier, Alaska. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S ATTEMPTED FLIGHT IN AN AIRPLANE WHICH EXCEEDED THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE WEIGHT. THE HIGH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN WAS A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 31, 1993 · about 8:00 am local time
- Place
- Johnson Glacier, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Artic Aircraft Corp. S-1B2
- Registration
- N59AT · registry record · serial 1010
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE CERTIFIED ALASKA GUIDES. ON-SCENE EVIDENCE SHOWED THAT THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT A STEEP ANGLE WHILE ROTATING TO THE LEFT. THE AIRPLANE HAD AN FAA-APPROVED FACTORY AUXILIARY 32-GAL BELLY FUEL TANK INSTALLED; NO WEIGHT & BALANCE REVISION WAS FOUND IN THE AIRPLANE'S RECORDS. AIRPLANE'S WEIGHT AT TIME OF ACCIDENT OVER 20% GREATER THAN MAX ALLOWABLE. NO FLIGHT TEST/PERFORMANCE DATA AVAILABLE FOR AIRPLANE WITH AUX TANK INSTALLED. IN ADDITION, THE AIRPLANE WAS EQUIPPED WITH TUNDRA TIRES; NO STC WAS RECORDED, NOR WAS CERTIFICATION FLIGHT TEST EVER CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE CG ENVELOPE WITH TUNDRA TIRES INSTALLED. AIRPLANE RECOVERED 8/12/93.
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: 200 hours in all; 160 in this make and model; 180 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,650 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 18, 1993
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Z41 Anchorage AK at 9:09 am
- Destination: Paxton AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Observation at 9:00 am from GKN, 60 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.
Other NTSB records under N59AT 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.