# Accident 19980811025109A: Piper PA31350, Fort Yukon, AK, August 11, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 11, 1998, 20:20 local time
- Place: Fort Yukon, AK
- Airport: Fort Yukon Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: WVBA
- Location: 66.5608° N, 145.2508° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=66.5608&lon=-145.2508&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3527U, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3527U) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-31-350 (registry code 7103110, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-350) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD (registry code 41977, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-tio-540-j2bd) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA31350
- Reported engine: LYC TIO540J2BD
- People aboard: 8
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 2,922 total, 821 in this make and model, 297 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC98LA120](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA120) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980811025109A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ANC98LA120](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA120), Aug 12, 1998: Piper PA-31-350 (N3527U), Fort Yukon, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to follow the pre-landing checklist. A factor associated with the accident was the pilot's diverted attention.

## Other reports on N3527U (4)

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

- [Accident 20020730017119A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020730017119A), Jul 30, 2002: Piper PA31350 (N3527U), Fairbanks, AK, No damage. (.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…
- [Accident 20020313003329A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020313003329A), Mar 13, 2002: Piper PA31350 (N3527U), Fairbanks, AK, No damage. (.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…
- [Incident 19990304012849I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990304012849I), Mar 4, 1999: Piper PA31350 (N3527U), Galena, AK. On 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 19890118006569I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890118006569I), Jan 18, 1989: Piper PA31350 (N3527U), Fairbanks, AK. High temperature and low oil pressure on climbout. Engine shutdown. Returned. Oil had congealed in oil cooler.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.