Piper PA-22-150 accident near Talkeetna, Alaska, August 29, 2019
On August 29, 2019 at about 3:00 am local time, a 1957 Piper PA-22-150, registered N7236D, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Talkeetna, Alaska (Talkeetna 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
A failure of the aft left weld-on fuselage landing gear fitting due to a poor weld joint.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 29, 2019 · about 3:00 am local time
- Place
- Talkeetna, Alaska · Talkeetna · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-150, built 1957 · all PA-22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N7236D · registry record · serial 22-5062
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While dragging an off-airport landing site, the flight instructor heard an audible "pop" and noticed a partial separation of the left main landing gear. After returning to the departure airport, he conducted a fly by and was told that the left main landing gear was loose. The pilot conducted an emergency landing, which resulted in a ground loop and substantial damage to the fuselage. Postaccident examination revealed that the aft left welded-on fuselage landing gear fitting had separated from the fuselage at the welding point. Examination of the fractured weld surfaces revealed an unacceptable weld filet profile, which included incomplete fusion, a lack of penetration, and gross porosity in the weld deposit.
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 collapse during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear attach sec › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,200 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 2 as pilot in command; 460 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 20, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,836.6 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, July 23, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 2,348 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TKA Talkeetna AK
- Destination: TKA Talkeetna AK
- Runway 19, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,600 ft; clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from PATK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on April 17, 2020. 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 | Materials Laboratory - Email | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Damage Determination | PDF, 1 page | 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.