Premium research interface

The modern interface for aviation safety intelligence.

Search investigations, review source evidence, monitor watched reports, and trace long-term patterns from one calm, data-first workspace.

63k+
Reports indexed
1940-2026
Coverage
Recent
Last data refresh
Featured Report

Loading…

Loading featured report…

Loading…
Open Report

Safety trends by operating rule

Track fatal and non-fatal accident patterns across Part 91, Part 135, and Part 121 operations.

Loading trend charts…

Browse the aviation graph

Move quickly by aircraft, airport, operator, and time with indexes built for research, not wandering.

Last Data Update

By Decade

By Month

Aircraft Manufacturer

More manufacturers

Airports

More airports

Operators

More operators

About

Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

The goal is practical safety education: make it faster to find relevant investigations, compare similar events, review factual records, and understand the evidence behind probable-cause and preliminary reports.

The investigative work and source records belong to the National Transportation Safety Board and the published investigation record. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NTSB.

FAQs

NTSB Report

August 18, 1992 · Piper PA-18-150 · N4714Y

Mackey Lake, AK

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
August 18, 1992
Injury Outcomes
2 injuries (2 serious injuries)
Location
Mackey Lake, AK
Aircraft
Piper PA-18-150
Tail Number
N4714Y
Operator
Boyson Ronald
Injuries
Serious
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
ANC92LA133

The pilot reported that the engine gradually lost power (as if someone was slowly pulling the power off) during a climb from takeoff at about 300 feet above the ground. A witness (pilot) on the ground initially observed the airplane in an attitude which resembled a landing flare. The airplane then pitched forward and descended vertically toward the ground. The pilot said that he may have unintentionally stalled the airplane subsequent to the loss of engine power. The airplane crashed in a small unnamed lake, flipped onto its back, and remained in this state for the next 48 hours. A post accident external and internal examination of the fuel system hardware and the powerplant assembly did not reveal failures or anomalies that would indicate an inoperative condition. Likewise, the source from which the plane was fueled was unremarkable. The pilot did not possess a single engine SEA rating and had not completed a biennial flight review or equivalent in 40 months.

NTSB Probable Cause

A LOSS OF POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. A FACTOR WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE SEVERITY OF THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY STALLED THE AIRPLANE.

Full Narrative

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE GRADUALLY LOST POWER (AS IF SOMEONE WAS SLOWLY PULLING THE POWER OFF) DURING A CLIMB FROM TAKEOFF AT ABOUT 300 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. A WITNESS (PILOT) ON THE GROUND INITIALLY OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE IN AN ATTITUDE WHICH RESEMBLED A LANDING FLARE. THE AIRPLANE THEN PITCHED FORWARD AND DESCENDED VERTICALLY TOWARD THE GROUND. THE PILOT SAID THAT HE MAY HAVE UNINTENTIONALLY STALLED THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENT TO THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE AIRPLANE CRASHED IN A SMALL UNNAMED LAKE, FLIPPED ONTO ITS BACK, AND REMAINED IN THIS STATE FOR THE NEXT 48 HOURS. A POST ACCIDENT EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM HARDWRAE AND THE POWERPLANT ASSEMBLY DID NOT REVEAL FAILURES OR ANOMALIES THAT WOULD INDICATE AN INOPERATIVE CONDITION. LIKEWISE, THE SOURCE FROM WHICH THE PLANE WAS FUELED WAS UNREMARKABLE. THE PILOT DID NOT POSSESS A SINGLE ENGINE SEA RATING AND HAD NOT COMPLETED A BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW OR EQUIVALENT IN 40 MONTHS.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time10:02 AKDT
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftPiper PA-18-150
Tail NumberN4714Y
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorBoyson Ronald
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-320-A2B · Reciprocating · 150
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury Summary2 injuries (2 serious injuries)
Fatal0
Serious2
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total2
Crew 1Age 49 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind360°
Visibility70 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point48 / 0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourcePILO

Appendix: Source Data