- Date
- March 27, 1999, 10:10 local (14:10 UTC)
- Place
- Chefornak, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N81844Piper PA-32-301
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 25, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19990327017719A
- Case key
- 46044
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 selection of an unsuitable landing site. A factor associated with the accident was rough and uneven terrain.
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 reported he was landing on a gravel airstrip that was rough and uneven due to frost heaves. He said the airplane bounced when it encountered a frost heave, and the nose gear collapsed. The pilot related there were no preimpact mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Factual narrative
On March 27, 1999, about 1010 Alaska standard time, a wheel equipped Piper PA-32-301 airplane, N81844, sustained substantial damage while landing at the Chefornak Airport, Chefornak, Alaska. The airline transport certificated pilot and the one passenger aboard were not injured. The 14 CFR Part 135 scheduled commuter flight was being operated in visual meteorological conditions by Peninsula Airways as Flight 421. The flight last departed Bethel, Alaska, about 0913, and the destination was Chefornak.
According to the pilot's written statement submitted to the NTSB, the airplane bounced when it encountered frost heaves upon touchdown, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The pilot noted there was no preimpact mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Conversations with the Director of Maintenance for the operator, and an FAA airworthiness inspector who examined the airplane, disclosed the airplane received substantial damage to the firewall bulkhead.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N81844
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-301
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-8006012
- Airframe hours
- 9,096
- Engine
- Lycoming IO540KIG5, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Registered owner
- Peninsula Airways
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · March 18, 1999 · 68 hours before
- Departed
- BET · Bethel, AK
- Destination
- CFK
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- CFK · Chefornak, runway 34, 2,500 × 35 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
- 50
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 10,438 total · 86 in this make and model · 4,879 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 16 °F, dew point 10 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 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 N81844 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.