What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 27, 1999, about 1010 Alaska standard time, a wheel equipped Piper PA-32-301 airplane, N81844, sustained substantial damage while landing at the Chefornak Airport, Chefornak, Alaska. The airline transport certificated pilot and the one passenger aboard were not injured. The 14 CFR part 135 scheduled commuter flight was being operated in visual meteorological conditions by peninsula airways as flight 421. The flight last departed bethel, Alaska, about 0913, and the destination was Chefornak. According to the pilot's written statement submitted to the NTSB, the airplane bounced when it encountered frost heaves upon touchdown, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The pilot noted there was no preimpact mechanical anomalies with the airplane. Conversations with the director of maintenance for the operator, and an FAA airworthiness inspector who examined the airplane, disclosed the airplane recieved substantial to firewall bulkhead. (.4) the pilot reported he was landing on a gravel airstrip that was rough and uneven due to frost heaves. He said the airplane bounced when it encountered a frost heave, and the no se gear collapsed. The pilot related there were no preimpact mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 27, 1999, ABOUT 1010 ALASKA STANDARD TIME, A WHEEL EQUIPPED PIPER PA-32-301 AIRPLANE, N81844, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHILE LANDING AT THE CHEFORNAK AIRPORT, CHEFORNAK, ALASKA. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT CERTIFICATED PILOT AND THE ONE PASSENGER ABOARD WERE NOT INJURED. THE 14 CFR PART 135 SCHEDULED COMMUTER FLIGHT WAS BEING OPERATED IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS BY PENINSULA AIRWAYS AS FLIGHT 421. THE FLIGHT LAST DEPARTED BETHEL, ALASKA, ABOUT 0913, AND THE DESTINATION WAS CHEFORNAK. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S WRITTEN STATEMENT SUBMITTED TO THE NTSB, THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED WHEN IT ENCOUNTERED FROST HEAVES UPON TOUCHDOWN, AND THE NOSE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. THE PILOT NOTED THERE WAS NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL ANOMALIES WITH THE AIRPLANE. CONVERSATIONS WITH THE DIRECTOR OF MAINTENANCE FOR THE OPERATOR, AND AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR WHO EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE, DISCLOSED THE AIRPLANE RECIEVED SUBSTANTIAL TO FIREWALL BULKHEAD. (.4) THE PILOT REPORTED HE WAS LANDING ON A GRAVEL AIRSTRIP THAT WAS ROUGH AND UNEVEN DUE TO FROST HEAVES. HE SAID THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED WHEN IT ENCOUNTERED A FROST HEAVE, AND THE NO SE GEAR COLLAPSED. THE PILOT RELATED THERE WERE NO PREIMPACT 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.
Other reports on N81844 · 4
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.