Piper PA-32-300 accident near Chefornak, Alaska, May 3, 2001
On May 3, 2001 at about 6:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N4089W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chefornak, Alaska (Chefornak airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadvertent stall/mush during the final phase of the landing approach. A factor associated with the accident is a crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 3, 2001 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Chefornak, Alaska · Chefornak · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N4089W · no longer on the register · serial 32-40145
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 2,700 as pilot in command; 50 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 17, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,593 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 18, 2001; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Bellair, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: BET Bethel AK at 1:00 pm
- Destination: CFK Cherfornak AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 34, 2,500 ft by 25 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 15 knots, gusting 5
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N4089W the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.