# Accident 19990327017719A: Piper PA32301, Chefornak, AK, March 27, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: March 27, 1999, 10:10 local time - Place: Chefornak, AK - Airport: Chefornak Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing) - Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135) - Operator: PNSA - Location: 60.1500° N, 164.2507° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=60.1500&lon=-164.2507&mi=10 - Aircraft: N81844, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N81844) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-32-301 (registry code 7103207, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-301) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA32301 - Reported engine: LYC IO540K1G5 - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 10,438 total, 86 in this make and model - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC99LA039](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA039) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990327017719A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. 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. ## 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 ANC99LA039](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA039), Mar 27, 1999: Piper PA-32-301 (N81844), Chefornak, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's selection of an unsuitable landing site. A factor associated with the accident was rough and uneven terrain. ## Other reports on N81844 (4) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20190726017339I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190726017339I), Jul 26, 2019: Piper PA-32-301 (N81844), Dillingham, AK, Minor damage. When on final approach right before touching down a down draft hit the right side of aircraft making the aircraft right side hit the runway hard. Pilot gave… - [Incident 20080915846769I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080915846769I), Sep 15, 2008: Piper PA32301 (N81844), Pilot Point, AK, Minor damage. (-23) On September 16, 2008, commercial Pilot, [privacy data omitted] taxied a Piper, PA-32-301 airplane to an Alaska state owned building at Pilot Point,… - [Accident 19980224001729A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980224001729A), Feb 24, 1998: Piper PA32300 (N81844), Kongiganak, AK, Substantial damage. Narrative: upon approaching the threshold, he felt a sudden drop. Initiating a go-around with full power, the aircraft settled onto the threshold area. He felt… - [Incident 19950520031579I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950520031579I), May 20, 1995: Piper PA32301 (N81844), King Salmon, AK, Minor damage. Broke right main wheel axle landing on remote strip in severe crosswind. 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.