Piper PA-32 and Bellanca 7GCBC accident near Nunavachak, Alaska, May 24, 1984
On May 24, 1984 at about 7:00 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Piper PA-32 (N4143W) and Bellanca 7GCBC (N2677Z), were involved in the same accident near Nunavachak, Alaska. No one was hurt; 8 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
- May 24, 1984 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Nunavachak, Alaska
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 8 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Piper PA-32 · all PA-32s on the register
- Registration
- N4143W · no longer on the register · serial 32-40211
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
- Aircraft 2
- Bellanca 7GCBC · all 7GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N2677Z · registry record · serial 1018-78
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-32 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT OF A PIPER PA-32, N4143W, WAS TAKING OFF TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST ON A TIDAL BEACH AT THE SAME TIME THAT ANOTHER PLT WAS TAXIING WEST ONTO THE BEACH. THE OTHER PLT WAS TAXIING A HIGH WING. BELLANCA 7GCBC, N2677Z. THE BELLANCA WAS ANGLING DOWN ONTO THE LOWER TIDAL AREA OF HARD PACKED SAND FROM A SOMEWHAT HIGHER AREA OF SOFT SAND. AS THE BELLANCA PLT WAS TAXIING DOWN THE SLOPE, THE VIEW TO HIS LEFT REAR WAS RESTRICTED BY HIS LEFT WING. ALSO, AS THE PA-32 PLT WAS TAKING OFF, HIS RIGHT FORWARD VIEW WAS RESTRICTED BY THE ACFT'S NOSE. SHORTLY AFTER THE PIPER PA-32 LIFTED OFF, ITS RIGHT WING TIP STRUCK THE LEFT WING & PROPELLER OF THE BELLANCA 7GCBC. THE PA-32 PLT ABORTED HIS TAKEOFF & STOPPED AFTER TRAVELING ANOTHER 300 TO 400 FT.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Bellanca 7GCBC final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT OF A PIPER PA-32, N4143W, WAS TAKING OFF TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST ON A TIDAL BEACH AT THE SAME TIME THAT ANOTHER PLT WAS TAXIING WEST ONTO THE BEACH. THE OTHER PLT WAS TAXIING A HIGH WING, BELLANCA 7GCBC, N2677Z. THE BELLANCA WAS ANGLING DOWN ONTO THE LOWER TIDAL AREA OF HARD PACKED SAND FROM A SOMEWHAT HIGHER AREA OF SOFT SAND. AS THE BELLANCA PLT WAS TAXIING DOWN THE SLOPE, THE VIEW TO HIS LEFT REAR WAS RESTRICTED BY HIS LEFT WING. ALSO, AS THE PA-32 PLT WAS TAKING OFF, HIS RIGHT FORWARD VIEW WAS RESTRICTED BY THE ACFT'S NOSE. SHORTLY AFTER THE PIPER PA-32 LIFTED OFF, ITS RIGHT WING TIP STRUCK THE LEFT WING & PROPELLER OF THE BELLANCA 7GCBC. THE PA-32 PLT ABORTED HIS TAKEOFF & STOPPED AFTER TRAVELING ANOTHER 300 TO 400 FT.
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 for the Piper PA-32 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,800 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 4,200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,680 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 21, 1984; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 225° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 5°F (-15°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
The factual record for the Bellanca 7GCBC from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 7,556 hours in all; 820 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 6,564 as pilot in command; 2,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,172 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 19, 1984; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
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.