# Accident 20010503039779A: Piper PA32300, Chefornak, AK, May 3, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 3, 2001, 10:50 local time
- Place: Chefornak, AK
- Airport: Chefornak Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Final Approach
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: GSBA
- Location: 60.1475° N, 164.2900° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=60.1475&lon=-164.2900&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4089W, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4089W-2018-01-04) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-32-300 (registry code 7103212, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-300) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA32300
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 3,000 total, 2,300 in this make and model, 180 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC01LA053](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC01LA053) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010503039779A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON MAY 3, 2001, ABOUT 1050 ADT, A WHEEL EQUIPPED PIPER PA-32-300, N4089W, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHILE ATTEMPTING A LANDING AT CHEFORNAK, ALASKA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED AS A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) CROSS COUNTRY COMMERCIAL FLIGHT, WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. A LICENSED COMMERCIAL PILOT OPERATED THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT IS OWNED BY A LEASING COMPANY AND OPERATED BY A PART 135 ON DEMAND OPERATOR. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED IN THE AREA OF THE ACCIDENT. DURING AN INTERVIEW WITH AN FAA INSPECTOR ON MAY 4, 2001, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHEN HE WAS ON FINAL APPROACH, CONFIGURED WITH FULL FLAPS, AIRSPEED AT THE THRESHOLD 80 MPH, THE AIRCRAFT STALLED. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE RUNWAY IN THE STALL AND BOUNCED BACK INTO THE AIR, AND WITH A CROSSWIND OF 10 TO 15 KNOTS THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE TUNDRA ABOUT 30 FEET FROM THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST WITH THE LEFT GEAR SHEARED OFF, NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED, PROPELLER BENT BACK FORMED TO THE FUSELAGE AND THE RIGHT WING BENT DOWN AT A 90 DEGREE ANGLE. INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING FOR POSSIBLE VIOLATIONS.

## 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 ANC01LA053](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC01LA053), May 3, 2001: Piper PA-32-300 (N4089W), Chefornak, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadvertent stall/mush during the final phase of the landing approach. A factor associated with the accident is a crosswind.

## Other reports on N4089W (2)

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

- [Accident 20131006022679A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20131006022679A), Oct 6, 2013: Piper PA-32-300 (N4089W), San Jose Villag, CM, Destroyed, 3 fatal. Aircraft N4089W departed Tinian International Airport VFR at 02:41AM on a moonless night to transport six passengers to saipan international airport. The…
- [Accident 19800814037779A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19800814037779A), Aug 14, 1980: Piper PA32300 (N4089W), Ekuk, AK, Substantial damage. Pilot tried to abort takeoff too late and ran off end of runway into swamp.

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.