# NTSB ANC81FA032: Piper PA-32, N3644W, Nuiqsut, AK, March 19, 1981

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Closed
- Date: March 19, 1981
- Place: Nuiqsut, AK · NUIQSUT, AK
- Location: 70.2105° N, 151.0250° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Nuiqsut, AK, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=70.2105&lon=-151.0250&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report May 4, 1981
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 126923
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC81FA032
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC81FA032

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-0525  81/3/19    NUIQSUT,AK          PIPER PA-32         CR-  0  1  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             PRIVATE, AGE 61, 5300
        TIME - 1800                    N3644W              PX-  0  0  1  BUSINESS                  TOTAL HOURS, ALL IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.
        NAME OF AIRPORT - NUIQSUT
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          NUIQSUT,AK                  LOCAL
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           ENGINE FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION                            LANDING: TRAFFIC PATTERN-CIRCLING
           COLLIDED WITH: DIRT BANK                                 LANDING: LEVEL OFF/TOUCHDOWN
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           POWERPLANT - MISCELLANEOUS: POWERPLANT FAILURE FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS
        FACTOR(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - INITIATED FLIGHT IN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
           WEATHER - LOW CEILING
           WEATHER - SNOW
           TERRAIN - ROUGH/UNEVEN
        PARTIAL POWER LOSS - PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER - 1 ENGINE
        WEATHER BRIEFING - NO RECORD OF BRIEFING RECEIVED
        WEATHER FORECAST - UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED
        EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCES - FORCED LANDING OFF AIRPORT ON LAND
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OVERCAST                                                 UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED                                     SNOW
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS
          BLOWING SNOW                                             IFR
        TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          NONE
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N3644W](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3644W-1982-04-16), registration cancelled 1982-04-16, S/N 32-548, built 1966 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-32
- Registry model: [Piper PA-32-260](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-260) (registry code 7103206) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Airport: Nuiqsut

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19810319011369A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19810319011369A), Mar 19, 1981: Piper PA32*, Nuiqsut, AK, Destroyed. Wing struck river bank turning final for landing on snow covered strip. Visibility near zero in snow shower.

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.

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