Piper PA 31-350 accident near Homer, Alaska, May 17, 2015
On May 17, 2015, a 1981 Piper PA 31-350, registered N4079H, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Homer, Alaska (Homer airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 8 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 extend the landing gear before landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to continue the approach to landing while distracted and his failure to complete the landing checklist.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 17, 2015
- Place
- Homer, Alaska · Homer · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 8 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 31-350 350, built 1981 · all PA 31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N4079H · registry record · serial 31-8152074
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was landing a retractable landing gear-equipped, twin engine airplane at an uncontrolled airport. While on final approach, an airplane that landed in front of him reported a moose in the vicinity of the runway. An airport maintenance person announced on the common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF) that he was attempting to chase the moose off of the runway. The pilot became distracted trying to avoid wake turbulence from the preceding airplane and monitor the location of the vehicle and moose and failed to extend the landing gear prior to landing. During touchdown, the airplane contacted the runway with the landing gear retracted, and it slid about 1,200 feet. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot 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
- Landing gear not configured during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear selector › Not used/operated
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,259 hours in all; 238.1 in this make and model; 162.3 in the last 90 days; 52 in the last 30 days; 3,200 as pilot in command; 449 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 3, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,438.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 10, 2015; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,368 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Lycoming LTI0-540-J2B (piston); 7,260 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming TI0-540-J2B (piston); 6,196 hours total
- Operator: J And M Alaska Air Tours INC
The flight
- Departed from: 7KA Tatitlek AK
- Destination: HOM Homer AK
- Runway 22, 6,701 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from PAHO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 7 |
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.
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.