Grumman G21A accident near Dutch Harbor, Alaska, June 24, 2007
On June 24, 2007 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Grumman G21A, registered N7811, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dutch Harbor, Alaska (Driftwood Bay airport). It was a positioning 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 inadequate compensation for wind conditions during the takeoff roll, which resulted in a loss of directional control and a nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 24, 2007 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Dutch Harbor, Alaska · Driftwood Bay · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G21A · all G21As on the register
- Registration
- N7811 · registry record · serial B-122
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had dropped off passengers, and was taking off to return to the base airport under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The pilot said he was departing on a hard surface runway in an amphibious, tailwheel equipped airplane. He said after the tailwheel lifted off, he believed a quartering gust of tailwind pushed the airplane off the runway. He said he tried to maintain directional control, but the airplane's right main landing gear encountered a tundra mound, and the airplane nosed over. The pilot said the right wing separated from the airplane during the accident. 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
- 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
- Flight time: 10,650 hours in all; 1,350 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: March 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 17,294 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, June 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 9,200 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Covington R-985-AN-14B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DFB Dutch Harbor AK
- Destination: DUT Dutch Harbor AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 30
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 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 N7811 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.