Piper PA-20 accident near Nenana, Alaska, June 24, 2007
On June 24, 2007 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-20, registered N5540A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nenana, Alaska (Nenana 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing, which resulted in a ground-loop and main landing gear collapse. Factors contributing to the accident were the ground-loop and landing gear collapse.
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 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Nenana, Alaska · Nenana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-20 · all PA-20s on the register
- Registration
- N5540A · no longer on the register · serial 20-982
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private certificated pilot was conducting a personal local flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The pilot reported that during landing, the airplane touched down on the runway centerline, and veered sharply to the right. He applied left rudder and power, but the airplane continued to the right, and ground-looped. The left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing struck the ground. The pilot said there were no known mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident, and that the left wing and left horizontal stabilizer, were damaged during the accident. The pilot reported that faster reactions after touchdown might have prevented 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 110 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: April 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,648 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAFA Fairbanks at 5:45 pm
- Destination: PANN Nenana AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 4,600 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N5540A 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.