Piper PA-31-350 accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, January 10, 2025
On January 10, 2025 at about 9:55 pm local time, a 1976 Piper PA-31-350, registered N59826, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi near Fairbanks, Alaska (Fairbanks International Airpor airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 9 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 recognize that an automated taxiway gate was closing, and the pilot’s failure stop for the closing gate.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 10, 2025 · about 9:55 pm local time · cases in 2025
- Place
- Fairbanks, Alaska · Fairbanks International Airpor · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 9 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350, built 1976 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N59826 · registry record · serial 31-7652077
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, while taxiing through an automated airport taxiway gate, the gate closed on the airplane which resulted in substantial damage to the right aileron. An airport surveillance video showed the airport taxiway gate closing, with warning lights that indicated a moving gate illuminated, and the accident airplane continuing to taxi towards the closing gate. The accident airplane then impacts the closing gate with its right wingtip and left wing leading edge. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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
- Ground collision during taxi defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Fence/fence post › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Operating environment › Airport facilities/design › (general) › Contributed to outcome
- Organizational issues › Management › Policy/procedure › Availability of policy/proc › Airport
- Organizational issues › Management › Policy/procedure › Availability of policy/proc › Operator
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,034 hours in all; 7,017 in this make and model; 81 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 10,503 as pilot in command; 1,249 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 17, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 22,922.5 hours
- Maximum gross weight: 7,368 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming TIO-540-J2B (piston); 3,367 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming LTIO-540-J2B (piston); 8,299 hours total
- Operator: Warbelows Air Ventures Inc
The flight
- Destination: CXF Coldfoot AK
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 22,000 ft; a few clouds at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 14°F (-10°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.57 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from PAFA, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PAFA 102153Z 35005KT 10SM FEW018 SCT075 BKN220 M10/M13 A2957 RMK AO2 SLP024 T11001133 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 8 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Image of accident airplane
Photograph 2 – Image of right wingtip and aileron
Photograph 3 – Image of left wing leading edgeThe 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
2 documents, released by the NTSB on May 12, 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 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | 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
- N59826 on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Piper PA-31 Navajo and Chieftain 934 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,842 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-J2B 6 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: Lycoming LTIO-540-J2B 5 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Fairbanks International · nearest airport
- Coldfoot Airport · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Alaska 5,932 since 1982 · 825 in the last ten years
- Alaska 9,142 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ANC25LA016.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.