NTSB CAROL · Event
Event ANC89GA055
Registry · N7085
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
PIPER PA-18-150
Year of manufacture
1963 · 26 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19631107
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A9754D
Registrant of record
STATE OF ALASKA
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
THE PILOT CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO IFR CONDITIONS AND FAILED TO MAINTAIN THE ALTITUDE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING AND THE DETERIORATING WEATHER CONDITIONS WHICH WERE ENCOUNTERED.
Factual narrative
THE PRIVATE PILOT, A STATE FISH AND WILDLIFE PROTECTION OFFICER, CONTINUED VFR INTO IFR CONDITIONS THEN LOST CONTROL AND CRASHED THE AIRPLANE WHILE TRYING TO EXECUTE A 180 DEGREE TURN BACK TO VFR CONDITION. THE CRASH WAS ABOUT TWO HOURS BEFORE SUNSET AND 14 NM FROM HIS HOME BASE FROM WHICH THE PILOT HAD DEPARTED OVER 8 HOURS EARLIER. HIS PVT PILOT CERTIFICATE HAD A LIMITATION PROHIBITING NIGHT FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT EQUIPPED, & THE PILOT WAS NOT RATED FOR, INSTRUMENT FLIGHT. ALTHOUGH AVAILABLE AT THE POINT OF DEPARTURE AND ENROUTE, NO WX BRIEFING WAS OBTAINED EITHER PRIOR TO OR DURING THE FLIGHT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1989_ANC89GA055.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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