Piper PA-31T3 accident near Kaktovik, Alaska, March 21, 2004
On March 21, 2004 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-31T3, registered N223CS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kaktovik, Alaska (Barter Island Lrrs airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing, which resulted in the airplane colliding with drifted snow during the landing roll. Factors contributing to the accident were a snow covered runway, airport personnel's failure to remove accumulated snow on the runway, and flat light conditions at the airport.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 21, 2004 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Kaktovik, Alaska · Barter Island Lrrs · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31T3 · all PA-31T3s on the register
- Registration
- N223CS · registry record · serial 31T-8275008
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During an IFR air taxi flight, the airline transport certificated pilot was landing a twin-engine turboprop airplane at a remote arctic airport. The visibility minimum for the GPS approach was 1 mile. En route to the airport, the automated weather observation system (AWOS) was reporting a visibility of 1.5 miles. The pilot began the global positioning system (GPS) approach to runway 06. Two miles from the runway, the pilot saw the runway and decided to circle to land on runway 24. While turning base for runway 24, the pilot lost sight of the runway and discontinued the landing approach. The pilot was cleared for another GPS approach to runway 06. At 1.5 miles from the runway, the pilot saw the runway and continued the landing approach. About 20 feet agl, the pilot experienced flat light conditions that limited his view of the runway so that he could only distinguish the runway lights as his landing reference. The airplane touched down about 1,700 feet beyond the approach end of runway 06. The airplane encountered about 2 feet of snow on the runway, pulled to the right, and came to a stop about 3,000 feet beyond the approach end. The airplane received damage to the right engine propeller, the fuselage belly cargo pod, the right main landing gear door, and the elevator trim tab. At the time of the accident (1515), the visibility was reported as 2.5 statute miles. The visibility at 1455 was 1 statute mile. The FAA Facility Directory for the airport states, in part: "Airport remarks - Attended 0600 to 2400. Runway not monitored. Recommend visual inspection prior to landing." The airport manager reported that the accident airplane arrived during near zero visibility conditions. The runway had been cleared the previous day, but had not been cleared on the day of the accident because of drifting snow and near zero visibility. FAR 91.103 Preflight Action, states, in part: "Each pilot in command shall, before beginning a flight, become familiar with all available information concerning the flight." FAR 135.229 Airport Requirements, states, in part: "(a) No certificate holder may use any airport unless it is adequate for the proposed operation, considering such items as size, surface, obstructions, and lighting."
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,389 hours in all; 375 in this make and model; 247 in the last 90 days; 81 in the last 30 days; 14,357 as pilot in command; 1,146 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,991 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, March 17, 2004; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,000 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-11 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cape Smythe Air Service Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: PASC Deadhorse AK at 6:47 pm
- Destination: PABA Kaktovik AK
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 06, 4,820 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 2.5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,200 ft
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.37 inHg
- Observation at 7:15 pm from PABA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.