Piper PA 28-140 accident near North Pole, Alaska, September 2, 2015
On September 2, 2015 at about 11:00 pm local time, a 1966 Piper PA 28-140, registered N7494R, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near North Pole, Alaska (Lakleoy Air Park airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s loss of directional control during landing with a tailwind, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 2, 2015 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- North Pole, Alaska · Lakleoy Air Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 28-140, built 1966 · all PA 28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N7494R · no longer on the register · serial 28-22048
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was conducting a local flight with a passenger on board. The passenger stated that they had overflown a moose hunting area and were returning to the departure airport for landing. After touchdown and during the landing roll, the airplane veered left, then right, then left again before departing the runway and impacting a stand of birch trees. He stated that the airplane seemed to fly great and that he was not aware of, nor did the pilot discuss, any mechanical anomalies or malfunctions during the flight. Due to injuries sustained in the accident, the student pilot was unable to remember the accident sequence. A pilot-rated witness reported that he observed the airplane on final approach with about an 8- to 10-knot tailwind and noted that the airplane appeared to be a "little fast." He stated that, after touchdown, the airplane veered left, then right, then sharply left again before exiting the runway, corroborating the passenger's statement. The examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures 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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
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 › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 66 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 25 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,405 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 5, 2015
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 3,405 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AK22 North Pole AK
- Destination: AK22 North Pole AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 4,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 10:58 pm from PAFB, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on March 7, 2016. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Witness Statements | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photos of Aircraft Wreckage | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.