Taylorcraft Aviation CORP F19 accident near Napakiak, Alaska, May 28, 2013
On May 28, 2013 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Taylorcraft Aviation CORP F19, registered N3617T, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Napakiak, Alaska (Napakiak airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilot's improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing, and the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the student.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 28, 2013 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Napakiak, Alaska · Napakiak · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft Aviation CORP F19 · all F19s on the register
- Registration
- N3617T · registry record · serial F-071
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and student pilot were practicing landings in a tailwheel-equipped airplane. The flight instructor stated that on the second landing, the student pilot encountered a sink rate that he could not recover from, and the airplane landed hard, collapsing the right main landing gear, and sustaining substantial damage to the right wing lift strut. The instructor stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Student pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,001 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 9 in the last 30 days; 2,989 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 21, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 42 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 19 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 11, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 14, 2012
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor 0-200 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PANA Napakiak AK at 12:25 pm
- Destination: PANA Napakiak AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 3,428 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Observation at 12:25 pm from PABE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC13CA050.