Piper PA-31-T3 accident near Wales, Alaska, February 9, 2000
On February 9, 2000 at about 4:05 pm local time, a Piper PA-31-T3, registered N110JK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wales, Alaska (Wales airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people were seriously injured and 7 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate evaluation of the weather conditions, and his inadvertent flight into adverse weather conditions. Factors in the accident were terrain induced turbulence and a tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 9, 2000 · about 4:05 pm local time
- Place
- Wales, Alaska · Wales · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 7 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-T3 · all PA-31-T3s on the register
- Registration
- N110JK · no longer on the register · serial 31T-8375005
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport certificated pilot was landing a twin-engine turboprop airplane at a remote airport on a scheduled air taxi flight. Rising hilly terrain is located east of the airport. The pilot said that during the approach for landing, he noticed the airport wind sock indicating a wind from the east about 25 knots. When the pilot descended to 500 feet, about mid-base, the airplane encountered moderate turbulence and an increased rate of descent. He added engine power to arrest the descent. As he turned toward the runway, the airplane encountered 3 to 4 rolling oscillations with a bank angle up to 90 degrees while descending toward the runway. According to a company mechanic who traveled to the scene, it appeared that the airplane struck the runway about 1,200 feet from the approach end with the left wing and left elevator, while yawed about 45 degrees to the left of the runway centerline. The airplane then slid off the left side of the runway. After the collision, the pilot evacuated the passengers, and noticed the airport wind sock was indicating a tailwind. The Airport/Facility Directory contains the following in the airport remarks: 'Unattended. Easterly winds may cause severe turbulence in vicinity of runway.'
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,600 hours in all; 195 in this make and model; 215 in the last 90 days; 72 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,385 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, February 6, 2000; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,000 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-11 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAOM Nome AK at 3:15 pm
- Destination: IWK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 35, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 165° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from PAT, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 7 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.