Piper PA-32-260 accident near Port Heiden, Alaska, October 30, 2001
On October 30, 2001 at about 3:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-260, registered N5573J, was destroyed in an accident near Port Heiden, Alaska (Port Heiden airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's delay in aborting the landing. Factors in the accident were snow and ice on the runway surface, and the pilot's excessive taxi speed.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 30, 2001 · about 3:50 pm local time
- Place
- Port Heiden, Alaska · Port Heiden · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N5573J · registry record · serial 32-1018
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial certificated pilot was transporting a barrel of aviation fuel to a remote airport. The fuel was intended for company use on CFR Part 135 flights scheduled for later in the day. The pilot said he noticed snow drifts across the approach end of the runway, and he decided to over-fly the area of drifted snow. The airplane touched down about 1,000 feet from the approach end. Because there was snow on the remaining portion of the runway, the pilot said he kept his roll-out speed higher than normal to avoid getting stuck in the snow. When the pilot attempted to fully retard the engine throttle, he said the engine idle would not go below about 1,500 rpm. The pilot said he saw the end of the runway approaching, and applied the brakes, but said there was no braking action. He said he then debated about shutting off the engine, applying full brakes, and sliding off the runway. The pilot said he applied full power to go-around. The airplane became momentarily airborne before colliding with a snow-covered gravel berm. The left wing of the airplane separated from the fuselage as it bounced upward. The airplane caught fire and came to rest inverted. Witnesses and pedestrians ran to the wreckage with fire extinguishers and pulled the pilot from the wreckage. The airplane was destroyed. Witnesses reported three airplanes landed before the arrival of the accident airplane. The witnesses said the accident airplane landed on the runway, but added engine power as it approached within about 300 feet of the end of the runway. The airplane appeared to become airborne to a height of about 18 inches, and did not gain any additional altitude. The airplane then collided with the gravel berm. The runway is 6,250 feet long, and 100 feet wide. An FAA NOTAM had been issued for the airport, stating, in part: "Patchy 1/2 inch of packed snow and ice on the runway; runway plowed 100 feet wide; 24 inch berms outside of plowed area."
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,257 hours in all; 743 in this make and model; 301 in the last 90 days; 82 in the last 30 days; 1,257 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 27, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,112 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 29, 2001; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: KDK Kodiak AK at 2:20 pm
- Destination: PAPH Port Heiden AK
- Runway 23, 6,250 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.54 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from PAPH
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.
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.