Piper J5A accident near Palmer, Alaska, May 27, 2011
On May 27, 2011 at about 3:15 am local time, a Piper J5A, registered N2364, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Palmer, Alaska (Palmer Municipal airport). 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 inadequate compensation for wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 27, 2011 · about 3:15 am local time
- Place
- Palmer, Alaska · Palmer Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J5A · all J5As on the register
- Registration
- N2364 · no longer on the register · serial 5-844
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo student pilot initiated a go-around on his first landing attempt due to low level turbulence associated with wind coming over nearby trees. He elected to land beyond the trees on his next attempt, but about 5 feet above the runway, the airplane turned sharply to the right, descended and impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot said there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane, and that he should have selected another airport where the wind was not a factor.
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
- Turbulence encounter during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control in flight during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › (general) › Contributed to outcome
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 92 hours in all; 83 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 26 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,483 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 10, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAAQ Palmer AK at 7:00 pm
- Destination: PAAQ Palmer AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 3,617 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 29.71 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from PAAQ
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 N2364 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.