Chefornak Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chefornak, Alaska 99561
Thursday, May 3, 2001 10:50 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The commercial air taxi pilot related he was attempting to land on a gravel runway in a direct crosswind of approximately 15 knots. During the final approach to land, he said the airplane stalled, and landed hard. The airplane went off the side of the runway and received substantial damage. The pilot indicated there were no preimpact mechanical problems with the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadvertent stall/mush during the final phase of the landing approach. A factor associated with the accident is a crosswind.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/3/2001
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1050
Event Time Zone --
Event City Chefornak
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99561
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 600851N
Event Location Longitude 1641724W
Event Location Airport Chefornak
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CFK
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 40
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 5
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 11915
NTSB Notification Source
NTSB Notification Date May 3 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1505
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 1 2002 11:26AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Anchorage, AK

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4089W
NTSB Number ANC01LA053
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-32-300
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 32-40145
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 18 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 60
Airframe Hours 7593
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Aero Lease of America, Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2533 N. Carson St., # 274
Aircraft Owner City Carson City
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89706
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Bellair, Inc.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. Box 60311
Operator City Fairbanks
Operator State AK
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 99706
Operator Code GSBA
Owner has at least one certificate --
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Mail
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BET
Departure City Bethel
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CFK
Destination City Cherfornak
Destination State AK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record May 2 2002 5:07PM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 34
Runway Length 2500
Runway Width 25
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --