Piper PA-22 accident near 65 Mi.Ene Of Mc, Alaska, July 17, 1982
On July 17, 1982 at about 6:30 am local time, a Piper PA-22, registered N891A, was substantially damaged in an accident near 65 Mi.Ene Of Mc, Alaska. It was a personal 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 1982 · about 6:30 am local time
- Place
- 65 Mi.Ene Of Mc, Alaska
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22 · all PA-22s on the register
- Registration
- N891A · registry record · serial 22-192
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING FLIGHT, THE PILOT NOTICED A PROGRESSIVE LOSS OF POWER. HE ELECTED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON A GRAVEL BAR. DURING THE LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED THROUGH A SHALLOW SLOUGH WHERE THE LEFT MAIN GEAR HIT A LOG. THE NOSE GEAR THEN HIT A BANK AT THE EDGE OF THE SLOUGH AND THE PLANE WENT OVER ON ITS BACK. THE ENGINE DIED WHEN THE AIRCRAFT TURNED OVER. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE NO 3 ROCKER ARM EXHAUST VALVE ADJUSTMENT BOLT HAD FAILED AND WAS LOOSE IN THE VALVE COVER.THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE BOLT MAY HAVE BEEN OVERTORQUED. THE BOLT SHOULD HAVE BEEN TORQUED TO 450 INCH POUNDS. A CHECK OF THE OTHER BOLTS REVEALED TAHT THEIR TORQUE VALUES RANGED FROM 150 TO 450 INCH POUNDS. THE ENGINE HAD A TOTAL OF 3.7 HOURS OF OPERATION SINCE IT HAD A TOP OVERHAUL.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 86 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 49 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,684 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Z22 Willow AK at 8:35 pm
- Destination: 5N1 Nikoli AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 113°F (45°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket 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.