Piper PA-32-301 N8297X
11 July 1994 · Portage Creek, Alaska, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 11 July 1994 at about 20:40 local time, a Piper PA-32-301 registered N8297X was involved in an accident near Portage Creek, Alaska, United States. 5 people were on board and 3 died, 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 20:40
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Portage Creek, Alaska, United States
- Nearest airport
- Portage Creek
- Coordinates
- 58.8209, -157.8602
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-301
- Registration
- N8297X
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Unknown → Dillingham
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ANC94FA080
People
3 people died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND PREPARATION, AND HIS FAILURE TO ENSURE THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS WITHIN ITS GROSS WEIGHT AND CENTER-OF-GRAVITY LIMITS, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INABILITY TO OBTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED FOR SUSTAINED FLIGHT AND A RESULTANT STALL/MUSH. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE SOFT/WET/UPHILL RUNWAY CONDITION.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, THE AIRPLANE WAS HEAVILY LOADED WITH PASSENGERS & BAGGAGE. THE PILOT ELECTED TO TAKE OFF EAST ON A 1920' SOFT WET RUNWAY WITH A 2-DEGREE UPSLOPE, WHICH ENDED AT A STEEP DROP-OFF. ABOUT 20 MILES EAST AT DILLINGHAM, THE 1147 ADT WIND WAS FROM 060 DEGREES AT 5 KNOTS. THE WITNESS SAID THAT THE WIND WAS FROM THE EAST WITH GUSTS TO 20 KNOTS & THAT THE AIRPLANE ACCELERATED SLOWLY DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL. TIRE MARKS (MATCHING THE AIRPLANE) SHOWED THAT IT LIFTED OFF 261' BEFORE THE END OF THE RUNWAY. AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE AIRPLANE SETTLED IN A DESCENDING LEFT TURN & CRASHED. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL FAILURE WAS EVIDENT. THE AIRPLANE'S WEIGHT & BALANCE WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 4011 POUNDS WITH A CENTER-OF-GRAVITY (CG) OF 97.8 INCHES. ITS MAXIMUM CERTIFICATED GROSS WEIGHT WAS 3600 POUNDS WITH A CG RANGE OF 90 TO 95 INCHES.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-32 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Feb 1994 | Piper PA-32-300 | Tamarac, Florida, United States | Jacobson, Milton C. | No injuries | - |
| 29 Jul 1994 | Piper PA-32-300 | Marshalltown, Iowa, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 3 Aug 1994 | Piper PA-32-300 | Richmond, Missouri, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 28 Jan 1994 | Piper PA-32-301 | Truckee, California, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 16 Aug 1994 | Piper PA-32-260 | Front Royal, Virginia, United States | William H Peoples | Fatal | 5 |
| 17 Mar 1994 | Piper PA-32-300 | Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
All 1,695 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Sep 1994 | Piper PA-18-150 | Gulkana, Alaska, United States | Maynard, Roger L. | No injuries | - |
| 8 Sep 1994 | Piper PA-12 | Nondalton, Alaska, United States | Alaska Safari, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 13 Sep 1994 | Cessna 140 | Willow, Alaska, United States | Moore, Charles D. | No injuries | - |
| 15 Sep 1994 | Piper PA-18-150 | Port Alsworth, Alaska, United States | 4W Air | No injuries | - |
| 13 Sep 1994 | Piper PA-18 | Kodiak, Alaska, United States | Hulbert, Ward A. | No injuries | - |
| 19 Aug 1994 | Cessna 182B | Ketchikan, Alaska, United States | Charlton, Albert J. | No injuries | - |