Amateur-built WAGABOND accident near Wasilla, Alaska, July 11, 1998
On July 11, 1998 at about 9:00 pm local time, a amateur-built WAGABOND, registered N36GM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wasilla, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 11, 1998 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Wasilla, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built WAGABOND
- Registration
- N36GM · no longer on the register · serial 1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane climbed to about 50 feet, the engine suddenly began to run rough, and lost rpm. The pilot applied carburetor heat, and leaned the fuel mixture. The engine speed improved slightly, but continued to run rough. The pilot attempted several carburetor heat and mixture combinations, but the airplane did not gain any altitude. After traveling about 1 mile, the airplane was approaching an area of trees and a roadway with adjacent electrical power lines. The pilot selected an emergency landing area on the roadway and dove the airplane toward the ground between several sets of power lines. The airplane landed on the roadway, and the right wing struck a stop sign. The pilot then applied right rudder to intentionally swerve the airplane into a ditch. The airplane has two, metal wing mounted fuel tanks, each without any individual tank sump. The only fuel sump is an airframe gascolator. The pilot had previously encountered rust deposits in the fuel supply. Prior to departing on the accident flight, the pilot drained about a quart of fuel from the sump, and did not notice any contamination. An examination of the carburetor revealed evidence of rust.
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, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 25,000 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 13,000 as pilot in command; 2,800 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 800 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 7, 1998; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°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.
Other NTSB records under N36GM 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.