Piper PA-18 accident near Little Delta Rv, Alaska, August 18, 1993
On August 18, 1993 at about 7:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N54938, was substantially damaged in an accident near Little Delta Rv, Alaska (None airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE TAKEOFF CLIMB. FACTOR WAS THE GUSTY WINDS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 18, 1993 · about 7:40 pm local time
- Place
- Little Delta Rv, Alaska · None · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N54938 · registry record · serial 18-7709024
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT JUST AFTER TAKEOFF, HE ENCOUNTERED A STRONG GUST OF WIND THAT CAUSED HIM TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. HE SAID THE LEFT WING SUDDENLY WENT DOWN TO ALMOST 90 DEGREES AND HIT THE GROUND. THE AIRPLANE THEN CARTWHEELED AND CAME TO A STOP. THE PILOT, PASSENGER, AND THREE GROUND WITNESSES SAID THE WINDS HAD BEEN VARIABLE AND GUSTY. THE PILOT WAITED ON THE RUNWAY FOR SEVERAL MINUTES FOR MORE FAVORABLE WINDS BEFORE STARTING THE TAKEOFF.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 31,611 hours in all; 10,534 in this make and model; 307 in the last 90 days; 130 in the last 30 days; 21,266 as pilot in command; 500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,155 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 30, 1993; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Runway 6, 550 ft by 15 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 7 knots, gusting 11
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°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.
Other NTSB records under N54938 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.