Grumman S2F-1 accident near Wasilla, Alaska, September 24, 1998
On September 24, 1998 at about 8:40 pm local time, a Grumman S2F-1, registered N8115V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wasilla, Alaska (New Wasilla 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the recently overhauled right brake seal resulting in a total loss of brake fluid, failure of the right brake system, and subsequent inability of the pilot to utilize the brake. A contributing factor was the soft terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 24, 1998 · about 8:40 pm local time
- Place
- Wasilla, Alaska · New Wasilla
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman S2F-1 · all S2F-1s on the register
- Registration
- N8115V · registry record · serial 144725
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the landing roll, the right brake seal failed on the experimental category, ex-military airplane, releasing the hydraulic fluid and subsequently rendering the brake unusable. The airplane encountered soft earth as it began to drift left, and ultimately departed the left side of the 3,700 feet long by 75 feet wide gravel runway. The nose gear then collapsed. The right brake system had been overhauled and the right brake seal replaced 15 hours prior to the accident.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,100 hours in all; 32 in this make and model; 210 in the last 90 days; 78 in the last 30 days; 4,500 as pilot in command; 1,500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,378 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, June 8, 1998; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 26,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Wright R-1820-82B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IYS New Wasilla AK at 1:40 pm
- Destination: IYS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 3,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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 ANC98LA164.