- Date
- July 5, 1990, 13:10 local (21:10 UTC)
- Place
- Coldfoot, AK
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Uncontrolled descent
- Aircraft
- N6374JPiper PA-28-180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 28, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19900705024099A
- Case key
- 5400
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The airplane encountered a downdraft shortly after takeoff from which the airplane could not overcome with power. Contributing to the accident was the heavily loaded airplane and the engine not developing full power due to improper maintenance.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The heavily loaded airplane crashed into trees about 40 seconds after takeoff from a closed dirt strip. Gusty and varible winds were reported by witnesses. Engine teardown found all cylinders corroded and pitted, rings improperly aligned, and valves leaking.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6374J
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-4787
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- John W. Roth
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Destination
- FAI · Fairbanks, AK
- Airport
- NONE · Coldfoot Strip, runway 4, 2,200 × 50 ft, gravel
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 40
- Certificates
- Commercial, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 3,000 total · 1,300 in this make and model · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 68 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N6374J · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.