Piper PA-18 accident near Pilot Point, Alaska, October 4, 1993
On October 4, 1993 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N82231, was destroyed in an accident near Pilot Point, Alaska (Vrems Camp airport). It was a business 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 PROCEDURES IN THAT THE FROST REMOVAL WAS NOT ADEQUATELY PERFORMED RESULTING IN AERODYNAMIC STALL OF FLIGHT SURFACES ON TAKEOFF.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 4, 1993 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Pilot Point, Alaska · Vrems Camp · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N82231 · no longer on the register · serial 18-7909076
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PILOTING THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE PASSENGER SEAT WHILE A CLIENT OCCUPIED THE FRONT SEAT, THE GUIDE/PILOT IN COMMAND ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF FROM A REMOTE STRIP. THERE WAS AN INADEQUATE REMOVAL OF FROST FROM THE WINGS. THE PASSENGER ASSISTED THE TAKEOFF PROCEDURE BY APPLYING THE FLAPS DURING THE GROUND RUN AND THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED AERODYNAMIC STALL SHORTLY AFTER BECOMING AIRBORNE.
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; single-engine sea
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,227 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 26, 1993; 130 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 1,300 ft by 25 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 045° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 100 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 10:30 am
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 N82231 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.