Aeronca SEDAN AR-15 accident near Nikolai, Alaska, October 21, 1994
On October 21, 1994 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Aeronca SEDAN AR-15, registered N1428H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nikolai, 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE FALLING SNOW, AN OBSTRUCTION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM VENTS, RESTRICTION OF THE FUEL FLOW AND LACK OF A SUITABLE LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 21, 1994 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Nikolai, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca SEDAN AR-15 SEDAN AR-1
- Registration
- N1428H · registry record · serial S15AC489
- 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, THE PILOT WAS FLYING IN MODERATE FALLING SNOW CONDITIONS FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES AND EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT COULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE LANDING GEAR STRUCK A LOG, DAMAGING THE GEAR AND FUSELAGE. AFTER LANDING, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO DRAIN FUEL FROM THE FUEL TANKS AND HEARD AIR BEING SUCKED INTO THE TANKS UNTIL THE INTERNAL PRESSURE OF THE TANKS EQUALIZED. THE AIRPLANE'S FUEL SYSTEM VENTS ARE LOCATED ON THE BELLY OF THE FUSELAGE.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all; 140 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 6,950 as pilot in command; 3,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,900 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 24, 1994; 119 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Z22 Willow AK at 2:15 pm
- Destination: TCT Takotna AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 ANC95LA005.