Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
King Salmon, Alaska 99613
Monday, June 25, 2001 19:18 AKD
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
A certificated commercial pilot, an Alaska State Trooper, departed from a remote lake in a float-equipped airplane, as the second airplane in a flight of two airplanes. When the accident airplane failed to arrive at the intended destination, the first pilot initiated an aerial search. The airplane wreckage was discovered about a quarter-mile southeast of the departure lake. The first pilot recalled having a conversation with the accident pilot concerning the use of the Cub Crafters main fuel valve installed in the accident airplane. He said that the accident pilot commented that he was not flying the airplane normally assigned to him, which had the original Piper main fuel tank selector valve installed. The accident pilot told the first pilot that he was unsure if the accident airplane's fuel selector valve should be operated in the BOTH position or the LEFT or RIGHT positions. The FAA approved Cub Crafters STC requires the addition of a placard, placed just above the main fuel valve, which states: "TAKE OFF AND LANDING ON BOTH ONLY." The accident airplane had the placard installed. During an on-scene inspection of the airplane wreckage, the fuel selector valve was found selected to the LEFT fuel tank setting, and the left fuel tank was empty. A review of the State of Alaska, Department of Public Safety's "aircraft manual," which outlines general operating policies and standards, disclosed that there were no provisions for differences training for the Cub Crafters fuel system.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's selection of the incorrect fuel tank, subsequent fuel starvation, and inadvertent stall during initial climb. Factors associated with the accident were inadequate transition training, and insufficient training standards of the operator/management.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/25/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1918 |
| Event Time Zone | -- |
| Event City | King Salmon |
| Event State | ALASKA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 99613 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 600000N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1564256W |
| Event Location Airport | -- |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Witness |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | -- |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 50 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -- |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 240 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 11788 |
| NTSB Notification Source | ANC FAA, ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jun 25 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2130 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 4 2002 9:52AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Anchorage FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N7050 |
| NTSB Number | ANC01GA075 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Public Use |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-18-150 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 18-7767 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1760 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Mar 26 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 80.9 |
| Airframe Hours | 9770 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | State of Alaska |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 4827 Aircraft Drive |
| Aircraft Owner City | Anchorage |
| Aircraft Owner State | AK |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 99502 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | -- |
| Operator State | -- |
| Operator Country | -- |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Public Use |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | JZZ |
| Departure City | Koliganek |
| Departure State | AK |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1918 |
| Departure Time Zone | ADT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | ILI |
| Destination City | Iliamna |
| Destination State | AK |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Unknown |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 15 2002 1:09PM |
| User who most recently changed record | STAM |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |