Piper PA-31-350 incident near Anchorage, Alaska, August 20, 1983
On August 20, 1983 at about 1:45 am local time, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N200VF, suffered minor damage in an incident near Anchorage, Alaska (Anchorage airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this incident. 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
- August 20, 1983 · about 1:45 am local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Anchorage · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N200VF · no longer on the register · serial 31-7405445
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF AT KODIAK, AK, THE WHEEL & LOWER SHAFT OF THE LEFT STRUT ASSY SEPARATED FROM THE ACFT. THE PLT STATED THAT WHEN HE WAS RETRACTING THE GEAR, HE FELT A BUMP & GOT AN UNSAFE GEAR LIGHT. HE IMMEDITAELY EXTENDED THE GEAR & FLEW BY THE TOWER & WAS INFORMED THAT THE LEFT GEAR APPEARED TO BE MISSING. THE PLT THEN FLEW TO ANCHORAGE WHERE HE COULD LAND ON A FOAMED RWY. HE WAS UNABLE TO RETRACT THE GEAR. BEFORE LANDING, HE SHUT DOWN & SECURED THE LEFT ENG. THE LEFT WING RECEIVED MINOR DAMAGE DURING THE LANDING. AN EXAM OF THE TOP MAIN GEAR BEARING REVEALED THAT 2 OF 4 RETAINING PINS, PN 01821-06, WERE MISSING & THE OTHER 2 WERE SHEARED OFF. AN EXAM OF THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR RETAINING PINS REVEALED THAT 2 HAD CRACKS IN THE NECK REGION. EARLIER ON THE SAME DAY OF THE INCIDENT, THE ACFT HAD AN UNSAFE GEAR INDICATION. MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL HAD INSPECTED, REMOVED, CLEANED, GREASED & REINSTALLED ALL ACTUATING RODS & HAD ADJUSTED THE LEFT GEAR UPLOCK. THE ACFT WAS THEN RELEASED FOR A TEST FLT, ON WHICH, THE INCIDENT OCCURRED.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,083 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 3,400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,236 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, February 1, 1983; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,500 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ADQ Kodiak AK
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 6, 10,897 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 90 statute miles
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:29 pm from ANC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.