Piper PA-34-200T accident near Gambell, Alaska, December 13, 1982
On December 13, 1982 at about 12:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N8225Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gambell, Alaska (Gambell airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- December 13, 1982 · about 12:30 pm local time
- Place
- Gambell, Alaska · Gambell · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N8225Y · registry record · serial 34-8070250
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON 12/12/82, THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED ON A FLIGHT FROM SAVOONGA TO NOME, AK. AFTER DEPARTURE, THE PILOT NOTED A PROBLEM WITH THE LEFT ENGINE AND DIVERTED TO GAMBELL, AK. WHILE EN ROUTE TO GAMBELL, THERE WAS A GRADUAL LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE. AFTER LANDING, THE PILOT NOTICED THE OIL FILLER CAP WAS MISSING AND FOUND NO OIL INDICATION OF THE DIPSTICK. A MECHANIC ADDED 7 QTS OF OIL. AN OIL CAP FROM ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS PLACED ON THE OIL FILLER NECK AND SECURED WITH DUCT TAPE AND SAFETY WIRE. REPORTEDLY, THE ENGINE WAS OPERATIONALLY CHECKED AND NO DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED. THE PILOT TOOK OFF AND TRIED TO FILE AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN, BUT ENCOUNTERED FREEZING RAIN. HE DECIDED TO RETURN TO GAMBELL, AND WHILE RETURNING NOTICED THE LEFT ENGINE OIL PRESSURE WAS DROPPING. AFTER THE LEFT ENGINE WAS SHUT DOWN, ICE BEGAN ACCUMULATING ON THE WINDSHIELD AND RIGHT WINDOWS. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN 25 DEG LEFT OF THE RUNWAY HEADING AND STRUCK A GRAVEL/SNOW BERM BESIDE THE RUNWAY. THE NO 1 CYLINDER HAD NO COMPRESSION, A HOLE WAS FOUND IN THE PISTON.
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
- Flight time: 3,102 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 2,980 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,787 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 87 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSI0360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Bering Air INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Gambell AK at 11:00 am
- Destination: C Nome AK
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 34, 4,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 5 knots
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.