Piper J5C accident near Skwentna, Alaska, August 9, 2010
On August 9, 2010, a Piper J5C, registered N38532, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Skwentna, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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 maintain directional control during landing, and his selection of unsuitable terrain for landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 9, 2010
- Place
- Skwentna, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J5C · all J5Cs on the register
- Registration
- N38532 · registry record · serial 5-1394
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot was on a personal cross-country flight with a landing at an off airport site, under Title 14, CFR Part 91. According to the pilot, during landing at the off airport site, the airplane bounced through a rough spot that he had not identified during his overflight prior to landing. He said the airplane bounced in a tail-high attitude, and he did not apply power quickly enough to prevent the airplane from nosing over. The pilot reported that he should have spent more time evaluating the site for seasonal changes prior to landing. He said there were no mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident, and that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and rudder.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 657 hours in all; 414 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 34 in the last 30 days; 624 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 1, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,854 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 9, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 1,760 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BCV Birchwood AK at 4:00 pm
- Destination: Skwentna AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; a few clouds at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N38532 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.