- Date
- December 5, 1996, 16:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Nunapitchuk, AK
- Injuries
- 6 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N54272Piper PA-31
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Case key
- 2954
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 pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions and failure to maintain directional control during the landing. Factors associated with the accident were: the low fuel condition, which led to a single engine landing, and the crosswind condition.
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 pilot stated the right fuel tanks emptied, and he had to shut down the right engine. He elected to make a precautionary landing at Nunapitchuk. During the landing, the airplane touched down hard. The airplane was tracking straight during the initial landing roll until the nose wheel touched the ground. The airplane then veered off the right side of the runway. The pilot stated he had a direct 15 knot crosswind from the left.
Factual narrative
On December 5, 1996, at 1630 Alaska standard time, a wheel equipped Piper PA-31 Navajo airplane, N54272, registered to and operated by Yute Air, Inc., of Anchorage, Alaska, ran off the right side of the runway during a precautionary landing at Nunapitchuk, Alaska. The on demand air taxi flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 135, departed Chefornak, Alaska, and the destination was Bethel, Alaska. A company flight plan was in effect and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The certificated airline transport pilot and the 5 passengers were not injured. The airplane received substantial damage.
During a telephone interview with the pilot on December 13, 1996, he stated that he ran the right fuel tanks dry and had to shut down the right engine. He elected to make a precautionary landing at Nunapitchuk. During the landing the airplane touched down hard. The airplane was tracking straight during the initial landing roll until the nose wheel touched the ground. The airplane then veered off the right side of the runway. The pilot stated he had a direct 15 knot crosswind from the left.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N54272
- Reported as
- Piper PA-31
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31-7405422
- Airframe hours
- 13,498
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD, 350 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Registered owner
- Yute Air Alaska
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · November 9, 1996 · 43 hours before
- Departed
- VAK · Chevak, AK
- Destination
- BET · Bethel, AK
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- 16A · Nunapitchuk, runway 36, 2,000 × 60 ft, snow
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
- 46
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 13,000 total · 550 in this make and model · 12,000 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 15 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 16 °F