Piper PA-22/20 accident near Talkeetna, Alaska, April 9, 2011
On April 9, 2011 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-22/20, registered N8842D, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Talkeetna, Alaska (Talkeetna Village Strip Airpor 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 selection of a soft, slushy runway for landing, resulting in a noseover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 9, 2011 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Talkeetna, Alaska · Talkeetna Village Strip Airpor · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22/20 · all PA-22/20s on the register
- Registration
- N8842D · registry record · serial 22-6012
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he contacted a nearby Federal Aviation Administration Flight Service Station (FSS) to ask if any airplanes had taken off or landed at the snow-covered, unattended gravel airstrip that was his destination. The FSS specialist stated that airplanes had landed there earlier in the day, but he did not have information about the runway condition. The pilot overflew the airstrip about 500 feet above the ground and it appeared to be hard packed, with signs of use. During the landing roll, the airplane's tires encountered soft slush and the airplane nosed over, collapsing the right wing lift-strut. The pilot said that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane and that he was unaware that the airstrip was used primarily by ski-equipped airplanes during the winter.
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
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › Snow/slush/ice covered › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,500 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 155 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 11,000 as pilot in command; 800 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 31, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,115 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 29, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Z41 Anchorage AK at 4:30 pm
- Destination: AK44 Talkeetna AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 1,600 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 N8842D 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.