# NTSB ANC98LA120: Piper PA-31-350, N3527U, Fort Yukon, AK, August 12, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 11, 1998, 20:20 local (Aug 12, 1998, 04:20 UTC) - Place: Fort Yukon, AK - Coordinates: 66.560768, -145.250839 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=66.5608&lon=-145.2508&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 8 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 30, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 43866 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC98LA120 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/43866/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA120 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to follow the pre-landing checklist. A factor associated with the accident was the pilot's diverted attention. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Wheels up landing, landing - flare/touchdown - checklist - not followed, pilot in command (cause) - diverted attention, pilot in command (contributing factor) - object - bird(s) - disturbance - initiated, passenger ## Analysis The airline transport pilot was preparing to land a multiengine, retractable landing gear airplane. He reported that while on downwind for landing on runway 21, a passenger in the rear of the airplane distracted his attention while he was performing his prelanding checks, and he failed to lower the landing gear prior to landing. The pilot stated: ' I just forgot to put the gear down after talking to the passenger.' In his written statement to the NTSB, the pilot added that while on short final, a flock of large birds again distracted his attention from completing a 'final gear check before landing.' The airplane landed on its belly, slid for about 550 feet, and came to rest in the center of the runway, about 1,000 feet from the threshold of the approach end of runway 21. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage bulkheads, and belly skin. The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. ## Factual narrative On August 11, 1998, about 2020 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Piper PA-31-350 airplane, N3527U, sustained substantial damage during an unintentional gear-up landing at the Fort Yukon Airport, Fort Yukon, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) on-demand passenger flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135, when the accident occurred. The airplane is registered to, and operated by, Warbelow's Air Ventures, Inc., Fairbanks, Alaska. The certificated airline transport pilot, and the seven passengers aboard were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and VFR company flight following procedures were in effect. The flight originated at the Fairbanks International Airport, Fairbanks, about 1910. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on August 11, the pilot reported that while on downwind for landing on runway 21, a passenger in the rear of the airplane distracted his attention while he was performing his prelanding checks, and he failed to lower the landing gear prior to landing. The pilot stated that: " I just forgot to put the gear down after talking to the passenger." In his written statement to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the pilot added that while on short final, a flock of large birds again distracted his attention from completing the "final gear check before landing." He said that the airplane landed on its belly, slid for about 550 feet, and came to rest in the center of the runway, about 1,000 feet from the threshold of the approach end of runway 21. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage bulkheads, and belly skin. The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3527U](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3527U), registered now, S/N 31-7952141, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-31-350 - Registry model: [Piper PA-31-350](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-350) (registry code 7103110) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-tio-540-j2bd) (registry code 41977, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 31-7952141 - Airframe hours: 16283 - Engines: Lycoming TIO-540 350 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Registered owner: Warbelow'S Air Ventures, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: AAIP, August 4, 1998, 55 hours before - Departed: FAI, FAIRBANKS, AK - Flight plan: Company VFR - Airport: FYU, Fort Yukon, runway 21, 5,810 × 150 ft, gravel ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 57; airline transport, commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 2,922 total, 821 in this make and model, 2,398 as pilot in command, 297 in the last 90 days, 98 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 270° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 8,000 ft broken - Temperature: 55 °F, dew point 43 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: PFY ## 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 19980811025109A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980811025109A), Aug 11, 1998: Piper PA31350, Fort Yukon, AK, Substantial damage. (.4) The airline transport pilot was preparing to land a multiengine, retractable landing gear airplane. He reported that while on downwind for landing on… ## Other investigations on N3527U (2) 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 ANC02LA086](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC02LA086), Jul 30, 2002: Piper PA-31-350 (N3527U), Fairbanks, AK, no damage. Probable cause: The failure of both pilots to maintain adequate visual outlook while taxiing. - [NTSB ANC02LA022](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC02LA022), Mar 13, 2002: Piper PA-31-350 (N3527U), Fairbanks, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to complete his prelanding checklist, and a subsequent inadvertent wheels up landing. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.