Piper PA-18-150 accident near Wasilla, Alaska, September 17, 1994
On September 17, 1994 at about 9:25 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N9359D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wasilla, Alaska. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ASSURE THAT AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL WAS AVAILABLE TO COMPLETE THE FLIGHT. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE SIPHONING OF FUEL FROM THE FUEL CAP.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 17, 1994 · about 9:25 pm local time
- Place
- Wasilla, Alaska
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N9359D · registry record · serial 18-6671
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED LOW VISIBILITY AND STRONG HEADWINDS, AND DEVIATED SOUTH OF HIS INTENDED ROUTE. HE MADE A RADIO REQUEST FOR FUEL, AND HE AND ANOTHER PILOT LANDED AT SKWENTNA. HE WAS PROVIDED WITH ABOUT 3 TO 4 GALS OF FUEL FROM THE OTHER AIRPLANE. THE PILOT THEN DEPARTED FOR HIS DESTINATION. THE ENGINE QUIT ABOUT 2 MI SHORT OF THE DESTINATION STRIP. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING THE FORCED LANDING. INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED TTHAT THE FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY. IN ADDITION, FUEL STAINING WAS OSERVED ON THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE LEFT WING FROM THE FUEL CAP TO THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE WING.
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: 350 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Skwentna AK at 3:45 pm
- Destination: AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC94LA140.