Piper PA-32R accident near Manley Hot Spgs, Alaska, September 4, 2002
On September 4, 2002 at about 10:13 pm local time, a Piper PA-32R, registered N40449, was substantially damaged in an accident near Manley Hot Spgs, Alaska (Manley Hot Springs 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
A bird strike during takeoff, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 4, 2002 · about 10:13 pm local time
- Place
- Manley Hot Spgs, Alaska · Manley Hot Springs · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R · all PA-32Rs on the register
- Registration
- N40449 · registry record · serial 32R-7780519
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial certificated pilot was departing a remote airport on an air taxi flight. The pilot reported a flock of geese flew into the path of the airplane. The leading edge of the right wing was struck by one of the birds. The operator replaced a 23-inch-wide section of the right wing leading edge skin, a leading edge rib, and a section of wing top skin.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,600 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model
- Last flight review: February 26, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,097 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, August 27, 2002; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540K1A5D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Bidzy Ta Hot Aana CORP.
The flight
- Departed from: PAML Manley Hot Spgs AK at 5:13 pm
- Destination: PAFA Fairbanks AK
- Runway 20, 2,875 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; a few clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.69 inHg
- Observation at 5:45 pm from PAML
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 N40449 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.