Description: From Reeder (1986): "Steam has been emitted continuously from the large cinder cone within the Akutan summit caldera since its last July, 1980 eruption * * *. Then, sometime during the first part of October 1982 very light ash falls from this cone occurred in Akutan village, which is located about 12 kms to the east. For example, Charles McGlashan of Akutan noticed during the first part of October 1982 ash on his white canvas tent, which he had originally erected at the village in August. By the end of October, the tent was light grey in color because of the light ash falls. Larry Mensoff of Akutan noticed a small ash fall that occurred in Akutan village in November. Then, on the morning of 18 +/- December, 1982, the community has a light but very noticeable layer of ash that had fallen the previous night over snow (sources of information: Paul Mahoney of Dutch Harbor, and others from Akutan village). The same day, Paul Mahoney left for Dutch Harbor by boat.
"* * * Airpac pilot Dave Henley on 22+/- December noticed fresh ash deposits on the Akutan summit region as well as the healthy emission of steam with some dark smoke from the cinder cone within the Akutan caldera. On his first flight to Akutan on the 23 +/- December, he again noticed some smoke emissions from the cinder cone.
"Paul Mahoney returned to Akutan on the second Airpac flight from Dutch Harbor to Akutan village on 23 +/- December. This midday flight was also flown by Dave Henley. Both were in favor of investigating the summit region of Akutan volcano, especially since the weather was clear enough to see Akutan volcano when air-borne from Dutch Harbor. A smoky haze could be seen above Akutan volcano as they approached and sulfur gases were detected even before they reached the volcano. They then circled the steaming Akutan cinder cone several times, flying just above (approximately 100 m above) the rim of the Akutan caldera. Suddenly, the steaming cinder cone started to erupt ash, lapilli, and blocks of rock. Paul Mahoney took photographs. Fearing damage to the plane, Dave immediately left the caldera and completed his flight to the village. Dave estimated, while he was returning to Dutch Harbor about 20 minutes later, that the tephra cloud had reached a height of 2 km above the volcano (an altitude of 3.3 km). No ash-fall occurred at Akutan village during this particular eruption."
"A visit to Akutan volcano was made by J.W. Reeder on 16 January, 1983. At this time, a small amount of ash was observed on the eastern side of the volcano over 14-15 January snow deposits (EOS, Trans. Amer. Geophy. Union, v. 64, no. 28, p. 451). Steam was being emitted from the cinder cone.
"After this visit, several similar fresh ash deposits were noted by pilot Dave Henley (Airpac Inc., Dutch Harbor) up into May 1983. Unfortunately, there is no dated record of these observations. No 1983 ash falls occurred in the Akutan village, which is located about 12 km east of the cone.
"J.W. Reeder, with the climbing assistance of Scott Kerr from Unalaska and of Mark Larsen from Anchorage, climbed to the summit of the Akutan volcano on July of 1981. Based on this 1981 observation and on the 16 January, 1983 observation, no new lava flows nor major changes to the steaming cinder cone had occurred during the 1982-83 eruption."