Minchumina Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Telida, Alaska 99695
Friday, September 17, 2004 13:05 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airline transport certificated pilot was landing on a remote, gravel-surface runway that was 4,200 feet long, and 100 feet wide. The landing was during a scheduled passenger flight, with one passenger. The director of operations and the pilot both reported that the landing gear was not extended for landing. The airplane slid on the gravel and received damage to the flaps, propellers, and fuselage. The director of maintenance for the operator reported that the airplane fuselage repairs would necessitate a major repair, to include replacement of belly skin aft of the nose landing gear well, and replacement of the aft nose gear well bulkhead.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A failure of the pilot-in-command to extend the landing gear, which resulted in a gear-up landing and structural damage to the airplane.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/17/2004
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1305
Event Time Zone --
Event City Telida
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99695
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator --
On Ground Collision occurred ? --
Event Location Latitude 635310N
Event Location Longitude 1521807W
Event Location Airport Minchumina
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PAMH
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 678
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1256 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID PAMH
Elevation of weather observation facility 678
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5500
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) 0
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.18
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 17659
NTSB Notification Source FAA Regional Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date Sep 17 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1425
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jun 8 2005 12:51PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA-AL-FAI FSDO 01

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N41185
NTSB Number ANC04LA117
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-31-350
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 31-8553001
Certified Max Gross Weight 7368
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 10
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Sep 15 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 8
Airframe Hours 8189
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Tatonduk Outfitters LTD.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. Box 61680
Aircraft Owner City Fairbanks
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99706
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code FXGA
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 Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PAGA
Departure City Galena
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1129
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PAMH
Destination City Minchumina
Destination State AK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? Yes
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record --
User who most recently changed record --
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 02
Runway Length 4200
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --