Piper PA-22-160 accident near Beluga, Alaska, June 29, 2004
On June 29, 2004 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-160, registered N9038D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Beluga, Alaska (Beluga Lake airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's selection of an unsuitable area for landing, which resulted in an on ground encounter with rocks during the landing roll, and the collapse of the left main landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 2004 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Beluga, Alaska · Beluga Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-160 · all PA-22-160s on the register
- Registration
- N9038D · registry record · serial 22-6176
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the landing roll at a remote airstrip, the pilot reported the airplane had slowed to about 25 knots, when the left main wheel collided with large rocks lining the left side of the landing area. The left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing and propeller struck the ground. The left wing lift strut and wing were damaged, as were the propeller and fuselage. There were no known mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident.
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, foreign licence
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,214 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 218 in the last 90 days; 69 in the last 30 days; 1,554 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,037 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 19, 2003; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAVB Birchwood AK at 5:45 pm
- Destination: Beluga AK
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N9038D the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC04LA072.