Piper PA-31-350 accident near Buckland, Alaska, March 14, 2009
On March 14, 2009 at about 8:52 pm local time, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N4112K, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Buckland, Alaska (Buckland airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to abort the landing while landing on a snow/ice-covered runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 14, 2009 · about 8:52 pm local time
- Place
- Buckland, Alaska · Buckland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N4112K · registry record · serial 31-8353006
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot was on a cargo flight when he landed on the snow-covered runway and, upon touching down, he noticed the braking action was nil. He said that about 500 feet from the departure end of the runway he realized that stopping was going to be a problem, but he elected not to abort the landing. The airplane slid off the end of the runway and struck a snowbank, causing structural damage to the left wing. He said that he had not received any reports about braking action for the airport that day, but that he had landed there on the previous day and that the condition of the runway then was acceptable. According to the pilot, there were no known mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. After the accident he examined the runway surface and determined that it was light snow over ice. The Federal Aviation Administration Flight Information Supplement, Alaska, Buckland Airport, under airport remarks, says, in part: "Unattended. Runway condition not monitored, recommend visual inspection prior to landing."
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
What happened, in order
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › Snow/slush/ice covered › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 900 in this make and model; 127 in the last 90 days; 34 in the last 30 days; 2,400 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 26, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 25,406 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, March 2, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 7,368 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Lycoming TIO-540 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming TIO-540 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OTZ Kotzebue AK at 3:19 pm
- Destination: PABL Buckland AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 11, 3,200 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,800 ft; clear
- Temperature: -20°F (-29°C), dew point -24°F (-31°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from PABL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N4112K 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.