19980811025109A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-31-350 · Fort Yukon, AK · August 11, 1998

Date: August 11, 1998 · 20:20 local
Place: Fort Yukon, AK
Airport: Fort Yukon Airport
Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: WVBA
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N3527U
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC98LA120
Reported as: Piper PA31350
Reported engine: Lycoming TIO540J2BD
People aboard: 8
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,922 total821 in this make and model297 in the last 90 days

N3527URegistered now · Piper PA-31-350S/N 31-7952141 · Built 1979 Airframe modelPiper PA-31-350 Engine modelLycoming TIO-540-J2BDReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(.4) The airline transport pilot was preparing to land a multiengine, retractable landing gear airplane. He reported that while on downwind for landing on runway 21, a passenger in the rear of the airplane distracted his attention while he was performing his prelanding checks, and he failed to lower the landing gear prior to landing. The pilot stated: `I just forgot to put the gear down after talking to the passenger.' In his written statement to the NTSB, the pilot added that while on short final, a flock of large birds again distracted his attention from completing a `final gear check before landing.' The airplane landed on its belly, slid for about 550 feet, and came to rest in the center of the runway, about 1,000 feet from the threshold of the approach end of runway 21. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage bulkheads, and belly skin. The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.

As the FAA filed it

(.4) THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT WAS PREPARING TO LAND A MULTIENGINE, RETRACTABLE LANDING GEAR AIRPLANE. HE REPORTED THAT WHILE ON DOWNWIND FOR LANDING ON RUNWAY 21, A PASSENGER IN THE REAR OF THE AIRPLANE DISTRACTED HIS ATTENTION WHILE HE WAS PERFORMING HIS PRELANDING CHECKS, AND HE FAILED TO LOWER THE LANDING GEAR PRIOR TO LANDING. THE PILOT STATED: `I JUST FORGOT TO PUT THE GEAR DOWN AFTER TALKING TO THE PASSENGER.' IN HIS WRITTEN STATEMENT TO THE NTSB, THE PILOT ADDED THAT WHILE ON SHORT FINAL, A FLOCK OF LARGE BIRDS AGAIN DISTRACTED HIS ATTENTION FROM COMPLETING A `FINAL GEAR CHECK BEFORE LANDING.' THE AIRPLANE LANDED ON ITS BELLY, SLID FOR ABOUT 550 FEET, AND CAME TO REST IN THE CENTER OF THE RUNWAY, ABOUT 1,000 FEET FROM THE THRESHOLD OF THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 21. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE BULKHEADS, AND BELLY SKIN. THE PILOT NOTED THAT THERE WERE NO PREACCIDENT MECHANICAL ANOMALIES WITH THE AIRPLANE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ANC98LA120Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportFort Yukon, AKThe pilot's failure to follow the pre-landing checklist. A factor associated with the accident was the pilot's diverted attention.Aug 12, 1998 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N3527U · 4

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20020730017119AFairbanks, AK(.19) On July 30, 2002, about 1340 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna 172 airplane, N739PB, sustained substantial damage during an on-ground collision with a Piper PA-31 airplane, N3527U, at the Fairbanks International Airport, Fairbanks, Alaska. The two…Jul 30, 2002 · No damage Accident 20020313003329AFairbanks, AK(.19) On March 13, 2002, about 1553 Alaska standard time, a Piper PA-31-350 airplane, N3527U, sustained substantial damage during an inadvertent wheels-up landing, at the Fairbanks International Airport, Fairbanks, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a…Mar 13, 2002 · No damage Incident 19990304012849IForced/Precautionary Landing · Galena, AKOn takeoff from gal pilot got red gear unsafe light and hydraulic system fluid was lost. He returned to the flights originating airport andlanded without incident, no damage and no injuries. Investigation revealed right landing gear door actuator "up"…Mar 4, 1999 Incident 19890118006569IFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Fairbanks, AKHigh temperature and low oil pressure on climbout. Engine shutdown. Returned. Oil had congealed in oil cooler.Jan 18, 1989