Piper PA-32-300 accident near Platinum, Alaska, January 4, 2011
On January 4, 2011 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N9304K, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Platinum, Alaska (Platinum airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 3 people had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's misidentification of the airport's active runway, resulting in an off-runway landing and collision with a ditch/berm.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 4, 2011 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Platinum, Alaska · Platinum · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N9304K · no longer on the register · serial 32-7640076
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he used the airplane’s radio to activate the runway lights, and flew over the airport and saw the windsock, but did not see the runway lights. He said the landing roll was smooth until the airplane came to a sudden stop when it struck a berm. The airplane received substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The airport manager said several people told him they saw the airplane fly over the field, lineup with the old (closed) runway, and land. The manager said the airport's newest runway, operational for about 2 years, is lighted, and that the end of the old runway had been incorporated into a parallel taxiway for the new runway. The rest of the old runway had been plowed up, and marked with a red "X". He said on the day of the accident the old runway was covered with snow. He stated that the lighted runway had about 1 inch of snow on it, and that the lights were on the highest intensity setting. He said the visibility was 10 miles under a 1,000 foot overcast, and the wind was calm. The airport manager said the airplane struck a ditch/berm where a portion of the old runway had been changed to an elevated taxiway for the new runway. The passenger seated on the left side of the airplane behind the pilot said she was familiar with the airport, and saw the lights of the lighted runway as they flew over.
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
- Wrong surface or wrong airport during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › Snow/slush/ice covered › Contributed to outcome
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,000 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: May 4, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Alaska Island Air INC
The flight
- Departed from: GNU Good News AK
- Destination: PAPM Platinum AK
- Runway 32, 3,300 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 | 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 N9304K 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.