Piper PA-22-150 accident near North Pole, Alaska, December 26, 2007
On December 26, 2007 at about 7:58 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-150, registered N7637D, was substantially damaged in an accident near North Pole, Alaska (Bradley Sky-Ranch Airport). It was an instructional 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
A loss of engine power for an undetermined reason during an attempted go-around, resulting in a forced landing and a collision with snow-covered terrain. A factor associated with the accident was the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 26, 2007 · about 7:58 pm local time
- Place
- North Pole, Alaska · Bradley Sky-Ranch Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-150 · all PA-22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N7637D · no longer on the register · serial 22-5346
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A certificated flight instructor (CFI) was providing flight instruction to a student pilot during civil twilight. The CFI reported that while on approach to an unlighted, snow-covered gravel runway, he instructed the student pilot to go-around when he realized that the airplane was not lined up with the runway. He said that his verbal command to immediately applying full engine power and initiate a go-around was followed, but the engine did not respond. The CFI took control of the airplane, confirmed that the throttle was at maximum, and then he landed the airplane in the deep snow. As the main and nose wheels touched down in the deep snow, the airplane decelerated rapidly, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. An FAA airworthiness inspector reported that his postaccident inspection of the airplane disclosed a number of maintenance deficiencies, but found none that would have accounted for the loss of engine power.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 833 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 461 as pilot in command; 372 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 30 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 6 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,913.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2007; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FAI Fairbanks AK at 7:42 pm
- Destination: FAI Fairbanks AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 33, 4,100 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 040° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,100 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point -8°F (-22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from PAFA, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.