Piper PA-31-350 accident near Telida, Alaska, September 17, 2004
On September 17, 2004 at about 9:05 pm local time, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N41185, was substantially damaged in an accident near Telida, Alaska (Minchumina airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A failure of the pilot-in-command to extend the landing gear, which resulted in a gear-up landing and structural damage to the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 17, 2004 · about 9:05 pm local time
- Place
- Telida, Alaska · Minchumina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N41185 · no longer on the register · serial 31-8553001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport certificated pilot was landing on a remote, gravel-surface runway that was 4,200 feet long, and 100 feet wide. The landing was during a scheduled passenger flight, with one passenger. The director of operations and the pilot both reported that the landing gear was not extended for landing. The airplane slid on the gravel and received damage to the flaps, propellers, and fuselage. The director of maintenance for the operator reported that the airplane fuselage repairs would necessitate a major repair, to include replacement of belly skin aft of the nose landing gear well, and replacement of the aft nose gear well bulkhead.
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, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 22,657 hours in all; 125 in this make and model; 165 in the last 90 days; 69 in the last 30 days; 14,750 as pilot in command; 9,500 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 31, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,189 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, September 15, 2004; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,368 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAGA Galena AK at 2:29 pm
- Destination: PAMH Minchumina AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 02, 4,200 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from PAMH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N41185 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.