Piper PA-18 accident near Felton, Minnesota, July 2, 1993
On July 2, 1993, a Piper PA-18, registered N1841A, was destroyed in an accident near Felton, Minnesota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE A CRACKED CARBURETOR FLOAT, FUEL STARVATION, AND THE FAILURE TO PERFORM AN ANNUAL INSPECTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 1993
- Place
- Felton, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N1841A · registry record · serial 18-1735
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED A RESTRICTED LANDING AREA RUNWAY FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT. SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTING, AT 300 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. THE PILOT PERFORMED A 180 DEGREE TURN TOWARD THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY. DURING THE TURN THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND SUBSEQUENTLY COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED BY A POST IMPACT FIRE. THE ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED A CARBURETOR FLOAT WITH MULTIPLE CRACKS IN IT. LIQUID EMERSION OF THE FLOAT REVEALED LIQUID PENETRATION INTO THE FLOAT. THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED 21 MONTHS 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 700 hours in all; 700 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,334 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 5, 1991; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,500 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from FAR, 17 miles away
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 CHI93LA245.