Grumman G21 accident near Unalaska, Alaska, April 5, 2004
On April 5, 2004 at about 1:15 am local time, a Grumman G21, registered N22932, was substantially damaged in an accident near Unalaska, Alaska (Unalaska airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 9 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The inadvertent ground loop/swerve by the second pilot during the landing roll, and the first (check) pilot's inadequate supervision of the second pilot, which resulted in a loss of control and substantial damage to the airplane. Factors associated with the accident are the second pilot's improper upgrade/transition training by the company check airman, the second pilot's lack of experience in the accident type airplane, the operator's lack of surveillance of the training process, and a crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 5, 2004 · about 1:15 am local time · cases in 2004
- Place
- Unalaska, Alaska · Unalaska · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 9 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G21 · all G21s on the register
- Registration
- N22932 · registry record · serial B-139
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A recently qualified captain was landing an amphibious, tailwheel airplane in a near direct crosswind of 7 gusting to 14 knots on a hard-surfaced runway at the conclusion of a scheduled commuter airline flight. The new captain (second pilot) was being observed and trained by the pilot-in-command check airman, who occupied the right seat pilot station. The right seat station was equipped with all flight controls, but did not have brake pedals. During the landing roll, the airplane ground looped to the right, and the left main landing gear collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. A review of the second pilot's training records and interviews with FAA personnel, disclosed that the second pilot had not received adequate transition training to the accident type airplane, and had a total of 1.8 hours in the accident type airplane at the time of the accident, which included all training and a flight check. The second pilot had accrued about 7 hours of tailwheel experience over 7 years prior to beginning his training on the accident type airplane. His received only 3 wheel landings, instead of the minimum of 12, in the accident type airplane during his transition training. Postaccident inspection of the airplane and maintenance records disclosed no evidence of any preaccident mechanical problems.
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; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 3,500 in this make and model; 116 in the last 90 days; 43 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: March 19, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 16,220 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, February 9, 2004; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,920 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-985-AN-14B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KQA Akutan AK at 7:45 pm
- Destination: DUT
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 30, 3,900 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 027° at 7 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.12 inHg
- Observation at 8:16 pm from PADU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 7 |
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 N22932 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N22932 on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Grumman G-21 35 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Grumman 443 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-985-AN-14B 77 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Unalaska Airport · nearest airport
- Akutan Seaplane Base · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Alaska 5,932 since 1982 · 823 in the last ten years
- Alaska 9,143 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N22932 2 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ANC04LA038.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.