# Incident 20220124003889I: Piper PA-31-350, Kaltag, AK, January 24, 2022

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 24, 2022, 10:00 local time
- Place: Kaltag, AK
- Airport: Kaltag
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: WVBA
- Location: 64.3190° N, 158.7413° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at KALTAG (KAL), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=64.3190&lon=-158.7413&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4079H, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4079H) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-31-350 (registry code 7103110, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-350) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-31-350
- Reported engine: LYCOMING TI0-540 SER
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 7,800 total
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220124003889I

## Narrative

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

AIRCRAFT WAS DIVERTING FROM KAL TO GAL DUE TO RUNWAY CONDITIONS, BUT GOT CALL FROM DOT PLOW PERSONNEL AT KAL THAT THEY WOULD HAVE THE RUNWAY CLEAR IN 10-15 MINUTES.  WHILE ENROUTE TO GAL, PLOWER CALLED AND SAID RUNWAY WAS READY.  PIC DECIDED TO CONTINUED TO LAND AT KAL.  UPON LANDING, PIC IMPACTED SNOW BERM ON L/H SIDE OF RUNWAY, CORRECTED, THEN SPUN INTO SNOW BERM ON R/H SIDE OF RUNWAY.  THIS APPEARS TO BE DUE TO THE PLOWER NOT PLOWING THE ENTIRETY OF THE RUNWAY WIDTH AND NOT MAKING THE PIC AWARE OF THIS OR THE BERMS.  DUE TO FLAT LIGHT, THESE ARE NOT POSSIBLE TO SEE IN ALASKA WITH WHITE-ON-WHITE.

AFTER THIS, THE PIC DUG THE AIRCRAFT OUT, CLEANED OUT THE WELLS AND SNOW THAT HAD IMPACTED IN THESE AREAS.  THEY STARTED THE AIRCRAFT AND TAXIED IT TO THE RAMP, EXCEPT, THEY AGAIN TAXIED INTO A SNOW-BERM, THIS TIME PROPELLERS PASSING THROUGH SNOW.  ACCORDING TO THE PIC, THERE WAS NO ASSOCIATED RPM DROP.

AFTER GETTING TO THE RAMP ,THE PIC CALLED OPERATIONS.  THEY RELAYED THE SITUATION, BUT DID NOT GO INCLUDE DETAILS SUCH AS THE PROP/SNOW CONTACT.  THEY SAID THEY INSPECTED THE STRUCTURE AND PLANNED TO DO A TEST-FLIGHT AND WOULD LEAVE THE GEAR DOWN IN CASE THERE WAS RESIDUAL MOISTURE THAT FROZE.  THE DO AGREED THAT SEEMED LIKE A GOOD PLAN.

THE PIC FLEW THE AIRCRAFT IN THE PATTERN, BUT THE FLAPS WERE NOT WORKING.  THE PIC SAID THAT THEY FELT THE FLAPS WERE NOT REQUIRED, BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT REQUIRED FOR NORMAL OPERATIONS.  THE PIC FLEW THE PASSENGERS BACK TO GAL, TOOK ON FUEL, THEN BACK TO FAI.

## Other reports on N4079H (3)

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

- [Incident 20260211000729I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260211000729I), Feb 11, 2026: Piper PA-31-350 (N4079H), Fairbanks, AK, Minor damage. Aircraft was on a maintenance test flight following landing gear handle re-rigging. Multiple gear extensions and retractions were performed during test flight.…
- [Accident 20150516008679A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150516008679A), May 16, 2015: Piper PA-31-350 (N4079H), Homer, AK, Substantial damage. Homer, AK (hom): PA31, gear up landing rwy 22. Aircraft was flying part 135 for Alaska air transit
- [Incident 19831020069759I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19831020069759I), Oct 20, 1983: Piper PA31350 (N4079H), West Mifflin, PA. Wing flap indicator warning light came on. Flap was down suddenly returned to neutral. System rigging a factor.

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.

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