Piper PA-20-135 accident near Anchorage, Alaska, October 23, 2006
On October 23, 2006 at about 1:30 am local time, a Piper PA-20-135, registered N3404A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Merrill Field). 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in an inadvertent ground loop and encounter with terrain. Factors associated with the accident were the ground loop and inadequate main wheel brakes.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 23, 2006 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Merrill Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-20-135 · all PA-20-135s on the register
- Registration
- N3404A · registry record · serial 20-1069
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial certificated pilot was practicing touch and go takeoffs and landings under Title 14, CFR Part 91. He said prior to takeoff, the airplane's brakes functioned, but worked "poorly." During the landing roll, he stated that the airplane veered sharply to the right, and he was unable to correct for the deviation using the brakes and rudder. He said the airplane exited the runway to the right, and ground-looped. The airplane received damage to the left wingtip, left elevator, fuselage lower longeron, and left main landing gear.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 3,750 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: January 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,007 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAMR Anchorage CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
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 N3404A 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.