Piper PA-28-235 accident near Manokotak, Alaska, March 23, 2002
On March 23, 2002 at about 3:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-235, registered N1220R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Manokotak, Alaska. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions, and subsequent collision with terrain during cruise flight. Factors in the accident were low ceilings, snow, and mountainous snow-covered terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 23, 2002 · about 3:40 pm local time
- Place
- Manokotak, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-235 · all PA-28-235s on the register
- Registration
- N1220R · registry record · serial 28-7310051
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial certificated pilot telephoned an FAA Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) and obtained a weather briefing for a flight to a remote airport, located about 58 miles from the departure airport. The briefing included marginal weather conditions at the departure airport, but improved conditions at the destination. An ARMET had been issued for mountain obscurations in the areas between the departure and destination airports. The pilot ended his weather briefing by filing a VFR flight plan. Just before departure, the AFSS specialist advised the pilot that he had received a pilot report for the area between the departure and destination airports. The pilot report included occasional visibilities 3 to 5 miles and occasional visibilities down to zero. The reporting pilot stated he followed the treeline into an intermediate airport (near the eventual crash site), and visibility and ceilings were low in the mountainous areas along the route. The accident pilot acknowledged the report and then departed. About 2 1/2 hours later, the flight was reported overdue, and an emergency locator transmitter (ELT) signal was received in an area about 18 miles west-southwest of the departure airport. The flight never reached the destination airport. Low visibility and blowing snow prevented searchers from reaching the scene until the following day. The airplane wreckage was located in an area on snow-covered hill, about 1,300 feet msl. A postaccident examination of the airplane did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions.
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; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,403 hours in all; 98 in the last 90 days; 42 in the last 30 days; 8,772 as pilot in command; 2,923 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 22, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,308.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 14, 2001; 79.9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PADL Dillingham AK at 2:34 pm
- Destination: PATG Togiak AK
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 011° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,500 ft; scat at 700 ft
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observation at 2:51 pm from PADL, 25 miles away
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC02FA025.