Piper PA-32 N3948W

Summary

On 21 September 2007 at about 19:00 local time, a Piper PA-32 registered N3948W, operated by James L. Lawler, was involved in an accident near Chenega Bay, Alaska, United States. 5 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 September 2007 at 19:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Chenega Bay, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

60.0483, -147.9000

Aircraft

Piper PA-32

Registration

N3948W

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

James L. Lawler

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Soldotna → Chenega Bay

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC07CA105

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing, which resulted in a collision with a ditch during the landing roll. A factor associated with the accident was the ditch.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private certificated pilot was landing toward the south on a remote airstrip at the conclusion of a Title 14, CFR Part 91, cross-country personal flight. The gravel surface airstrip was about 1,000 feet long and about 50 feet wide. The pilot reported that during the landing roll, the left main landing gear struck a ditch that extended about 20 feet into the runway area. The left main landing gear was torn off, and the airplane slid into an area of trees. The airplane received structural damage to the wings and fuselage.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.