- Date
- June 22, 1991, 20:00 local (Jun 23, 1991, 04:00 UTC)
- Place
- Beluga, AK
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8635DPiper PA-22
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 14, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19910622023459A
- Case key
- 5563
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
Was the pilot-in-command's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing roll. Contributing to the accident was the rough, uneven terrain and crosswind.
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
After touchdown on the gravel bar and during rollout, the pilot lost directional control of the airplane and then ground looped. At the time of the accident, the wind was reported as 300 degrees, 20 to 30 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8635D
- Reported as
- Piper PA-22
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 225843
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Theodore Knutson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 2, 2000
- Departed
- NONE · Wasilla, AK
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
- 26
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 260 total · 160 in this make and model · 260 as pilot in command · 52 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 20 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility
- 60 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
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 N8635D · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.