Piper PA-18-150 accident near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, September 13, 1993
On September 13, 1993 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N3996Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. It was a business 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
FLUID FUEL CONTAMINATION AS A RESULT OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMANDS IMPROPER PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 13, 1993 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Prudhoe Bay, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N3996Z · registry record · serial 18-1806
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE PLANE'S ENGINE SUDDENLY LOST A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF POWER APPROXIMATELY TWO HUNDRED FEET FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE REMOTE TUNDRA STRIP. THE AIRPLANE LANDED SHORT, BOUNCED, AND THE ENGINE REGAINED SOME RPM. A GO-AROUND WAS ATTEMPTED BUT THE ENGINE LOST POWER AGAIN. THE PILOT PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING NEAR THE END OF THE STRIP AND USED HEAVY WHEEL BREAKING. THE PLANE NOSED OVER ONTO ITS BACK. THE PILOT SAID THAT HE DRAINED THE PLANE'S FUEL TANKS AND ENGINE SUMPS PRIOR TO CONDUCTING THE FLIGHT AND FOUND NO CONTAMINATION. NO FURTHER PROBLEMS WERE EXPERIENCED WITH THE ENGINE DURING THE APPROXIMATE 8 HOUR FERRY FLIGHT TO ANCHORAGE, ALASKA. NO ABNORMALITIES WITH THE ENGINE WERE NOTED DURING THE TEARDOWN EXAMINATION. THE PILOT SAID THAT THE LOSS OF POWER WAS PROBABLY CAUSED BY THE ENGINE INGESTING A SMALL AMOUNT OF WATER.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 3,300 hours in all; 2,250 in this make and model; 210 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days; 3,300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 25, 1993; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Happy Valley AK at 5:45 pm
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 99 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N3996Z 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.