Piper PA-20-135 accident near Nenana, Alaska, June 6, 2024
On June 6, 2024 at about 9:30 pm local time, a 1952 Piper PA-20-135, registered N2358A, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Nenana, Alaska (Nenana Municipal Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot providing instruction’s delayed remedial action, resulting in a loss of control during landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 6, 2024 · about 9:30 pm local time · cases in 2024
- Place
- Nenana, Alaska · Nenana Municipal Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-20-135, built 1952 · all PA-20-135s on the register
- Registration
- N2358A · registry record · serial 20-921
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During an instructional flight, the pilot providing instruction, seated on the right side, reported that, on landing roll while performing a touch-and-go, the pilot receiving instruction, seated on the left side, began to drift left. The pilot providing instruction attempted to correct with right rudder but was unable to overcome the drift. The airplane was equipped with brake pedals only on the left side, so the pilot providing instruction subsequently told the pilot receiving instruction to correct with right brake. However, the pilot receiving instruction did not apply adequate corrective measures, which resulted in a ground loop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The pilot providing instruction reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures 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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 10,600 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 6,700 as pilot in command; 1,420 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 31, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 190 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 29.3 in the last 90 days; 8.2 in the last 30 days; 132.9 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 22, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,906.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 28, 2024; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 785 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAAN Goldking AK at 9:00 pm
- Destination: PANN Nenana AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22R, 4,800 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.77 inHg
- Observation at 1:30 pm from ENN
Weather report (METAR): PAFA 061453Z 00000KT 10SM -RA BKN050 BKN070 10/07 A2977 RMK AO2 SLP085 P0002 60002 T01000067 51028
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – View of Accident Airplane
Photograph 2 – View of Front of Accident Airplane
Photograph 3 – View of Left side of Accident AirplaneThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on March 28, 2025. 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 (Pilot Receiving Instruction) | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (Flight Instructor) | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N2358A on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Piper PA-20 Pacer 323 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,838 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 27,303 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Nenana Municipal · nearest airport
- Gold King Creek Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Alaska 5,932 since 1982 · 826 in the last ten years
- Alaska 9,143 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ANC24LA047.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.