Piper PA-31-350 accident near Nuiqsut, Alaska, August 24, 2002
On August 24, 2002 at about 7:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N3535F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nuiqsut, Alaska (Nuiqsut airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadvertent wheels-up landing. Factors contributing to the accident were the pilot's failure to complete the prelanding checklist, his diverted attention, and a delayed gear warning horn alarm.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 24, 2002 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Nuiqsut, Alaska · Nuiqsut · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N3535F · no longer on the register · serial 31T7952200
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a 14 CFR Part 135 scheduled commuter flight, the airplane received substantial damage when it landed with its landing gear retracted on a gravel runway. The pilot reported that during the landing sequence he was distracted, and inadvertently forgot to lower the landing gear. He did not confirm that all of the prelanding checklist items were completed. He said he did not hear the landing gear warning horn until the airplane was on the ground.
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, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,900 hours in all; 2,300 in this make and model; 230 in the last 90 days; 104 in the last 30 days; 16,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 17, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 21,241 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 23, 2002; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,368 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming LTIO-540-J2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PABR Barrow AK at 1:16 pm
- Destination: PAQT Nuiqsut AK
- Runway 04, 4,300 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,400 ft; scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
- Observation at 2:00 pm from PAQT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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 N3535F 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.