Piper PA22 accident near Soldotna, Alaska, July 4, 2020
On July 4, 2020 at about 11:23 pm local time, a 1953 Piper PA22, registered N3604A, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Soldotna, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The delamination of the fabric material from the fuselage above the windscreen due to failed adhesive, which resulted in disrupted airflow and a subsequent hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 2020 · about 11:23 pm local time
- Place
- Soldotna, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA22 135, built 1953 · all PA22s on the register
- Registration
- N3604A · registry record · serial 22-1864
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
In cruise flight, the private pilot heard and felt a “pop” emit from the airplane. He immediately noticed the airplane descending but verified he still had elevator continuity. Unable to maintain altitude, the pilot made an emergency landing on a nearby paved road; however, the airplane landed hard, and the main landing gear collapsed. Postaccident examination revealed control continuity, but it was noted that the adhesive adhering the fabric above the windscreen had separated. FAA Airworthiness Directive (AD) 74-17-04 applies to certain Piper airplanes, including PA-22 series airplanes that are covered with cotton or linen, and was issued to prevent the sudden failure of the material at the top of the windshield by requiring the installation of a reinforcement metal strip. Because the accident airplane was covered in a heavy-duty polyester material, the hardware specified in the AD was not required for installation on the airframe nor was it installed. It is likely that the adhesive adhering the fabric above the windscreen delaminated and disrupted the airflow over the airplane. It was not determined why the adhesive failed/delaminated.
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 in flight during enroute
- Part(s) separation from AC during enroute defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during emergency descent
- Hard landing during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Fuselage › Fuselage main structure › Failure
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 336 hours in all; 237 in this make and model; 73 in the last 90 days; 31 in the last 30 days; 258 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AK84 Sterling AK at 11:17 pm
- Destination: HOM Homer AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from PASX, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check 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.