Piper PA-31-350 accident near Eek, Alaska, November 17, 2025
On November 17, 2025 at about 5:28 am local time, a 1983 Piper PA-31-350, registered N4112D, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Eek, Alaska (Eek airport). It was a business flight under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s loss of directional control when the airplane encountered snow and ice on the runway while landing at night in gusting crosswind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 17, 2025 · about 5:28 am local time · cases in 2025
- Place
- Eek, Alaska · Eek · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350, built 1983 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N4112D · registry record · serial 31-8353004
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that after landing, during the landing roll, at night, in gusting crosswinds, the right main landing gear struck ice and a snow drift which caused the airplane to veer right. The pilot attempted to correct with opposite rudder; however, the airplane continued to slide on the ice and impacted a snow berm, which collapsed the nose gear. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the nose and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident 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
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Effect on operation
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Snow/slush/ice covered surface › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Snow/ice › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,986 hours in all; 454 in this make and model; 206 in the last 90 days; 55 in the last 30 days; 1,630 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 1, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 36,154 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 8, 2025; 79 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,362 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD (piston); 2,158 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming LTIO-540-J2BD (piston); 8,740 hours total
- Operator: Yute Air
The flight
- Departed from: PAPM Platinum AK at 4:51 am
- Runway 18/3, 3,242 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 100° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,600 ft; a few clouds at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 28.84 inHg
- Observation at 8:00 pm from AQH, 29 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR PAQH 170456Z AUTO 10013KT 10SM FEW020 OVC026 02/02 A2884 RMK AO2 UPE0357B17E30RAB04E48 SLP765 P0000 T00220017 FZRANO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – View of airplane where it came to rest.
Photograph 2 – View of damage to the nose and fuselage.The 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 June 22, 2026. 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, 3 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.
Other NTSB records under N4112D the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N4112D 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-J2BD 24 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: Lycoming LTIO-540-J2BD 5 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Eek Airport · nearest airport
- Platinum Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Alaska 5,932 since 1982 · 825 in the last ten years
- Alaska 9,142 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N4112D 3 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ANC26LA005.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.