Piper PA-32-300 accident near Naknek, Alaska, May 14, 1985
On May 14, 1985 at about 7:03 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N4080W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Naknek, Alaska. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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
- May 14, 1985 · about 7:03 pm local time
- Place
- Naknek, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N4080W · registry record · serial 40125
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE CRUISING AT ABOUT 2000 FT, THE TOP ENG COWLING CAME OFF, RUPTURING AN ENG OIL LINE & BREAKING A HOLE IN THE LEFT SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. OIL THEN COVERED THE WINDSHIELD. DUE TO THE LOSS OF OIL, THE PLT SHUT DOWN THE ENG & LANDED ON A BEACH. DURING THE LANDING ON SOFT TERRAIN, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. THE PLT SUSPECTED THAT THE RIGHT FRONT COWLING LATCH HAD FAILED. HE STATED THAT IT HAD HEEN REPLACED ABOUT 10 FLT HRS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. HE FURTHER STATED THAT HE HAD CONDUCTED A THOROUGH PREFLT & ALL FASTENERS WERE SECURED PRIOR TO THE FLT. HOWEVER, THE CONDITION OF THE FASTENER COULD NOT BE DETERMINED SINCE THE COWLING WAS NOT RECOVERED.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,915 hours in all; 7,900 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,478 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 3, 1984; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WSN Naknek AK at 1:55 pm
- Destination: DLG Dillingham AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 800 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from AKN, 25 miles away
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.