Eek Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Eek, Alaska 99578
Friday, May 3, 1991 10:30 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND STATED THAT SHE ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT ON SHORT FINAL. THE AIRPLANE FIRST TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 4 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY, BOUNCED, THEN LANDED HARD ON THE RUNWAY CAUSING ALL LANDING GEAR TO SEPARATE FROM THE FUSELAGE. THE POINT OF FIRST TOUCHDOWN WAS SLOPED DOWN AND AWAY FROM THE RUNWAY ABOUT 30 DEGREES. THE END OF THE RUNWAY WAS ABOUT 100 FEET FROM A RIVER BANK WHICH DROPPED RAPIDLY ABOUT 20 FEET.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

WAS THE HARD LANDING CAUSED WHEN THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT DURING THE FINAL APPROACH PORTION OF THE LANDING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE DOWNDRAFT AND THE DIRT/RIVER BANK JUST SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/3/1991
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1030
Event Time Zone --
Event City EEK
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99578
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport EEK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID EEK
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 40
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 125
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 286
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43381
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 9:56AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4593T
NTSB Number ANC91LA055
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32-300
Aircraft Serial Number 32-7240071
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 29 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 7
Airframe Hours 7673
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NUNAKAUIAK YUPIK CORPORATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address GENERAL DELIVERY
Aircraft Owner City TOOKSOOK BAY
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99637
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CAMAI AIR
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address BOX 787
Operator City BETHEL
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99559
Operator Code HYQA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code AQH
Departure City QUINHAGAK
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code EEK
Destination City
Destination State AK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 17
Runway Length 1344
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --