Piper PA-22-150 accident near Deadhorse, Alaska, August 6, 2006
On August 6, 2006, a Piper PA-22-150, registered N3546P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Deadhorse, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while on approach to land, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent and collision with terrain. A factor contributing to the accident was an inadvertent stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 6, 2006
- Place
- Deadhorse, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-150 · all PA-22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N3546P · no longer on the register · serial 22-3302
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo commercial pilot was landing at a remote off-airport site under Title 14, CFR Part 91. Prior to the accident flight, the pilot hiked about 1 mile to the accident airplane to disassemble a previous camp site, load the camp items into the airplane, then reposition the airplane closer to where he had shot a caribou earlier that day. A witness stated that the pilot made a series of low passes over his intended landing site. During the accident approach, while the airplane was about 100 feet agl, the airplane nosed down and collided with the ground in a near vertical attitude. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. The pilot noted in his written statement to the NTSB that the last thing he can recall was while he was on final approach to the site, but he has no recollection of the accident. He also noted that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,078 hours in all; 220 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: April 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Deadhorse AK at 7:20 pm
- Destination: Deadhorse AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°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.