Piper PA-18 accident near Kasilof, Alaska, April 28, 1996
On April 28, 1996 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N1930A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kasilof, Alaska (Doyle'S Strip airport). It was a personal 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
fuel starvation due to a kinked fuel supply line from the left main tank, and the pilot's improper rebuild/remanufacture of the airplane. A smaller than standard fuel line from the fuel strainer to the carburetor, a smaller than standard fuel cap vent, and a lack of mechanic certification were factors in the accident.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 28, 1996 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Kasilof, Alaska · Doyle'S Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N1930A · registry record · serial 18-1768
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certificated private pilot was departing a private 2,000 feet long grass airstrip. Before departure, the pilot selected the left fuel tank. During the initial climb, the engine suddenly quit about 100 feet in the air. The pilot selected an emergency landing area, and the airplane collided with several trees during the landing. The pilot indicated that the remanufactured engine that he installed had accured 25 hours. The airplane had been rebuilt by the pilot, who was not a certificated airframe or powerplant mechanic. The pilot did not possess any airworthiness documentation for the airplane. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed a kink in the fuel line from the left fuel tank. The fuel line from the fuel strainer to the carburetor was 1/4 inch in diameter. The standard size was 3/8 inch. The fuel caps on each tank were required to have a 3/8 inch vent line. The installed caps had a 1/4 inch vent.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Soldotna AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:47 pm from ENA, 10 miles away
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 N1930A 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.