Piper PA-18 accident near Kotzebue, Alaska, June 1, 1994
On June 1, 1994 at about 6:30 am local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N4320Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kotzebue, Alaska (Kotzebue Airport). It was an instructional 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
DIRECTIONAL CONTROL NOT MAINTAINED BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE INADVERTANT GROUND LOOP/SWERVE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 1, 1994 · about 6:30 am local time
- Place
- Kotzebue, Alaska · Kotzebue Airport · 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
- N4320Z · registry record · serial 18-8633
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A CROSSWIND LANDING, WHILE DOING A SERIES OF TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS WITH A PASSENGER, THE PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND THE AIRCRAFT GROUND LOOPED.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,550 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 5,500 as pilot in command; 100 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 1, 1994; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OTZ
- Destination: OTZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,800 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N4320Z 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.