# Accident 19980917024889A: Piper PA31350, Noorvik, AK, September 17, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: September 17, 1998, 11:06 local time - Place: Noorvik, AK - Airport: Robert/Bob/Curtis Memorial Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown - Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135) - Operator: FXTA - Location: 66.8298° N, 161.0292° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=66.8298&lon=-161.0292&mi=10 - Aircraft: N4112D, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4112D) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-31-350 (registry code 7103110, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-350) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA31350 - Reported engine: LYC TIO540J2BD - People aboard: 4 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 2,830 total, 269 in this make and model - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC98LA167](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA167) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980917024889A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. BERING AIR TAXI CRASHED ON LANDING AND SUSTIANED UNKNOWN DAMAGE. (-23)PILOT IN COMMAND FLEW FROM KOTZEBUE TO SELAWIK, KIANA AND FAILED TO LOWER THE LANDING GEAR IN NOORVIK. PILOT IS BEING UNCOOPERATIVE AT THIS TIME. (.19)ON SEPTEMBER 17, 1998, ABOUT 1110 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-31-350 AIRPLANE, N4112D, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING LANDING AT THE ROBERT CURTIS MEMORIAL AIRPORT, NOORVIK, ALASKA. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED AS A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) SCHEDULED DOMESTIC PASSENGER FLIGHT UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 135 WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE AIRPLANE WAS REGISTERED TO, AND OPERATED BY BERING AIR INC., NOME, ALASKA. THE CERTIFICATED AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT, AND THE THREE PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT THE RALPH WIEN MEMORIAL AIRPORT, KOTZEBUE, ALASKA, ABOUT 1000. THE OPERATOR REPORTED THE AIRPLANE, OPERATED AS FLIGHT 622, WAS LANDING ON RUNWAY 02 AT NOORVIK. THE GRAVEL SURFACE RUNWAY IS 2,200 FEET LONG, AND 50 FEET. THE PILOT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE RUNWAY WITH THE FLAPS EXTENDED, BUT THE LANDING GEAR WAS STILL RETRACTED. A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR, FAIRBANKS FLIGHT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE (FSDO), INSPECTED THE AIRPLANE AT THE OPERATOR'S MAINTENANCE FACILITY IN NOME, ON SEPTEMBER 28, 1998. THE INSPECTION REVEALED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE SKIN AND FUSELAGE STRINGERS, IN AN AREA FROM THE NOSE WHEEL GEAR DOORS TO THE LOWER WING SPAR FITTING. (.4) THE CERTIFICATED AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT WAS LANDING ON A GRAVEL RUNWAY DURING A SCHEDULED AIR TAXI FLIGHT. THE PILOT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE RUNWAY WITH THE FLAPS EXTENDED, BUT THE LANDING GEAR WAS STILL RETRACTED. THE AIRPLANE RECEIVED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE SKIN AND FUSELAGE STRINGERS, IN AN AREA FROM THE NOSE WHEEL GEAR DOORS TO THE LOWER WING SPAR FITTING. ## 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 ANC98LA167](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA167), Sep 17, 1998: Piper PA-31-350 (N4112D), Noorvik, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: A failure of the pilot to follow the aircraft checklist, and an inadvertent wheels up landing. ## Other reports on N4112D (6) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20251116016039A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20251116016039A), Nov 16, 2025: Piper PA-31-350 (N4112D), Eek, AK, Substantial damage. Aircraft landed in a left crosswind (170 20G26) and encounted a hard snow drift on the runway. Right main gear dug into the snowdrift causing it depart the… - [Incident 20240619007349I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240619007349I), Jun 19, 2024: Piper PA-31-350 (N4112D), Nunam Iqua, AK, Minor damage. Landing rwy 20, pilot applied brakes, at first no issues. Applied r brake to get to the right side of the runway to execute a left 180 degree turn for back… - [Incident 20090916049649I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090916049649I), Sep 16, 2009: Piper PA-31-350 (N4112D), Nome, AK, Minor damage. During landing rollout, nose landing gear hydraulic actuator shaft broke at end of shaft allowing nose gear to retract damaging propeller and fuselage skin. - [Accident 19930629025219A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930629025219A), Jun 29, 1993: Piper PA31350 (N4112D), Gambell, AK. Passenger deplaned. Purposely walked into idling propeller. Person not sorry for injuries. Pilot unaware debarking. - [Incident 19871221076959I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19871221076959I), Dec 21, 1987: Piper PA31350 (N4112D), Point Hope, AK, Minor damage. Touchdown with gear up. When propeller tips struck runway pulled up. Went around for a successful landing. - [Accident 19850127001749A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19850127001749A), Jan 27, 1985: Piper PA31350 (N4112D), Savoonga, AK, Substantial damage. Overflew airport looking for VASI or runway lights and while keeping village in sight struck rising terrain. 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.