Piper PA-32-301 accident near Portage Creek, AK
On July 11, 1994, a Piper PA-32-301 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Portage Creek, AK. 3 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- July 11, 1994
- Place
- Portage Creek, AK
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-301 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 3 fatal, 2 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 58.821°N, 157.860°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001206X01633
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On July 11, 1994, at 1240 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Piper PA-32 Saratoga, N8297X, registered to and operated by Peninsula Airways, Inc., of Anchorage, Alaska, crashed after takeoff from Portage Creek, Alaska, which is located approximately 20 miles west of Dillingham, Alaska. The air taxi flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 135, was departing Portage Creek on a company visual rules flight plan and the destination was Dillingham. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot and one passenger were seriously injured and 3 passengers received fatal injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. WITNESSES According to John Alto, the fishing guide for the passengers, the weather at Portage Creek had been rainy, heavy at times, for the previous 4 to 5 days. He stated there was a slight easterly wind when the airplane arrived. Another witness, Chris Carr, stated the wind was from the west. Mr. Alto stated the following: "The airplane arrived at 12:10 p.m., circling around and then landing on the North-South runway with the plane heading south. Chris Carr of Portage Creek arrived at this time with a cooler bound for Dillingham to see if there was room to fit it on. Luggage from our party was as follows: 3 fish boxes weighing 65-70 pounds apiece, 2 coolers containing fish, also weighing 65-70 pounds apiece, 4 duffel bags containing laundry weighing 25-35 pounds apiece. Then there were the belongings of Ray and Kent which was 3 or 4 duffel bags weighing 30-50 pounds apiece. The cooler that Chris Carr placed on the plane weighed in excess of 1
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.
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Browse: Alaska · Piper aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
