Piper PA-31-310 accident near Cape Yakataga, Alaska, September 25, 2003
On September 25, 2003, a Piper PA-31-310, registered N27987, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cape Yakataga, Alaska (Yakataga airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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 failure to follow the prelanding checklist, which resulted in a wheels up landing when he neglected to lower the airplane's landing gear. A factor in the accident was the pilot's diverted attention associated with turbulence and a wet airstrip.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 25, 2003
- Place
- Cape Yakataga, Alaska · Yakataga · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-310 · all PA-31-310s on the register
- Registration
- N27987 · registry record · serial 31-7912054
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport certificated air taxi pilot was positioning the airplane to pickup passengers at a remote airstrip. He reported that he encountered low level turbulence and strong winds during the approach to land, and was unsure if he could complete the landing. As he turned the airplane onto the final approach segment, he said the turbulence diminished, and he elected to land. He indicated that there was a large pool of water on the runway, and he decided to land longer than normal in order to miss the water. Soon after passing the water pool, the airplane settled to the runway, with the landing gear still retracted. The pilot said there were no mechanical problems with the airplane, and that he simply forgot to lower the landing gear. He said the gear up warning horn did not activate because of the increased power setting he used to fly over the pool of water. He indicated he became distracted during the approach to land because of the turbulence and the water on the runway, and neglected to complete the prelanding checklist.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,000 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 235 in the last 90 days; 83 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: May 30, 2003
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,573 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 12, 2003; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,500 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-A2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Alaska Air Taxi, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: ANC Anchorage AK at 5:30 pm
- Destination: CYT Cape Yakataga AK
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 07, 4,350 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 25 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°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.
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.