# Accident 20220802013939A: Piper PA-31-350, Port Alsworth, AK, August 2, 2022

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 2, 2022, 19:00 local time
- Place: Port Alsworth, AK
- Airport: Port Alsworth
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 60.1191° N, 154.1938° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=60.1191&lon=-154.1938&mi=10
- Aircraft: N317AK, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N317AK) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-31-350 (registry code 7103110, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-350) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-31-350
- People aboard: 9
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 20,000 total, 3,700 in this make and model, 200 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN22LA381](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA381) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220802013939A

## Narrative

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

ON 8/5/2022 IT WAS REPORTED THAT A HARD LANDING ON 8/2/82022 RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.  THE AIRCRAFT IS A PIPER PA-31 THAT WAS BEING OPERATED PART 91 HAULING PASSENGERS AND OPERATED BY THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ IN PORT ALSWORTH.

^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PILOT, ATP ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT HE WAS APPROACHING RUNWAY 24R OVER THE BAY AND THE APPROACH WAS STABLE AT APPROXIMATELY 85 KNOTS.  THE CROSSWIND WAS 30 DEGREES AND IN THE TEENS WITH NO GUSTS.  THE PILOT SAID RIGHT BEFORE TOUCHDOWN THE LEFT WING DIPPED CAUSING THE LEFT GEAR TO TOUCHDOWN FIRST NEAR THE PAD AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY RIGHT ON THE CENTERLINE OF THE RUNWAY.

THE PILOT THOUGH IT WAS A HARDER THAN NORMAL LANDING BUT DID NOT SEEM EXCESSIVE.  HE DID LOOK AROUND THE AIRPLANE AFTER LANDING AND DID NOT SEE ANY DAMAGE AT THAT TIME.  HE CHECKED THE TOUCHDOWN POINT AND NO WITNESS MARKS WERE ON THE GROUND TO INDICATE ANYTHING EXCESSIVE ON THE DAY OF THE LANDING.

ON 8/5/2022 MAINTENANCE WAS BRINGING THE AIRCRAFT IN FOR MAINTENANCE AND DISCOVERED BUCKLING ON THE LOWER SIDE OF THE WING BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND THE FUSELAGE.  AFTER REVIEWING THE REGULATIONS THEY DETERMINED THE DAMAGE WAS SIGNIFICANT AND REPORTED THE DAMAGE.  THE AIRCRAFT HAD NOT BEEN FLOWN SINCE THE HARD LANDING ON 8/2/2022.  THERE ARE NO PLANS TO REPAIR THE AIRCRAFT AT THIS TIME AND THERE IS NO ABILITY TO SEE A COMPLETE LIST OF DAMAGED PARTS WITHOUT OPENING THE SKIN.  THE AREA WITH DAMAGE IS STRUCTURAL AND WILL REQUIRED EXTENSIVE MAINTENANCE TO REPAIR WITH ANY DAMAGE IN THAT AREA.

## 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 CEN22LA381](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA381), Aug 2, 2022: Piper PA31 (N317AK), Port Alsworth, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: A hard landing that occurred at an unknown time and date, which resulted in substantial damage.

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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