Piper PA-32-301 accident near King Cove, Alaska, April 26, 2010
On April 26, 2010 at about 11:23 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-301, registered N8305H, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near King Cove, Alaska (King Cove airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 5 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 an appropriate descent rate during gusty winds while landing, resulting in a hard landing and damage to the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 26, 2010 · about 11:23 pm local time · cases in 2010
- Place
- King Cove, Alaska · King Cove · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-301 · all PA-32-301s on the register
- Registration
- N8305H · no longer on the register · serial 32-8106017
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport pilot was on a passenger flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135, when the accident occurred. The pilot said he was on short final for the destination runway and his airspeed was indicating 100 knots. The pilot reported that he encountered wind gusts/shear and his airspeed dropped to zero, and the airplane landed hard. He said the left main landing gear collapsed and the left wing struck the ground. According to the pilot, there were no mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident, and that the left wing and fuselage received substantial damage during 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
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent rate › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,631 hours in all; 353 in this make and model; 109 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 640 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 25, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 17,868 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, April 25, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Peninsula Airways INC
The flight
- Departed from: PACD Cold Bay AK at 6:15 pm
- Destination: PAVC King Cove AK
- Runway 25, 3,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 14 knots, gusting 43
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.48 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from PAVC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on July 16, 2010. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Operator Notes | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Weather Data | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N8305H: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Piper PA-32 Cherokee Six, Lance and Saratoga 3,916 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,848 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 SER 4,222 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- King Cove Airport · nearest airport
- Cold Bay Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Alaska 5,932 since 1982 · 826 in the last ten years
- Alaska 9,146 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ANC10LA032.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.