Piper PA-32 accident near Skagway, AK
On July 4, 1997, a Piper PA-32 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Skagway, AK. 4 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- July 4, 1997
- Place
- Skagway, AK
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 4 fatal, 0 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 59.571°N, 135.349°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001208X08272
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On July 3, 1997, about 1730 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Piper PA-32 airplane, N15199, ditched in the ocean about 1 1/2 miles southwest of Skagway, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) sightseeing flight under Title 14 CFR Part 135 when the accident occurred. The airplane, registered to and operated by Haines Airways Inc., Haines, Alaska, sank after ditching. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured. One passenger sustained minor injuries. Two passengers received fatal injuries. Two additional passengers were not located, and are presumed to have received fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. VFR company flight following procedures were in effect. The flight originated at the Haines Airport, at 1640. The flight was one of several airplanes utilized to provide sightseeing flights for cruise liner passengers. The passenger's cruise ship was docked in Skagway, and the accident flight was the second portion of an eagle viewing/glacier tour from Skagway to Haines, and return. Following the departure from Haines, the flight proceeded to overfly several glaciers, and then flew north into the Taiya Inlet. The terrain in the inlet is comprised of steep mountains that descend to the water with infrequent areas of small beach. Voluntary traffic flow procedures for airplanes operating into, and out of Skagway, have been established by agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and operators in the area. In-bound airplanes to Skagway fly northbound along the west shoreline of the
Probable cause
jamming/failure of the left magneto impulse coupling, which stopped rotation of the magneto gear, and resulted in subsequent shearing of the accessory intermediate idler gear. Factors relating to the accident were: the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing, which necessitated ditching of the aircraft; the passenger's lack of awareness concerning access to life vests, due to the pilot's ina
More accidents in AK
- Beech 1900C, Nov 23, 1987
- Textron Aviation Inc 208B, Feb 6, 2025
- Dehavilland DHC-3, Jul 7, 2013
- Cessna 208, Oct 10, 2001
- Dehavilland DHC-3, Jun 25, 2015
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.
