Piper PA-20 accident near Tolsona Lake, Alaska, June 28, 1986
On June 28, 1986 at about 11:05 pm local time, a Piper PA-20, registered N6910K, was destroyed in an accident near Tolsona Lake, Alaska (Tolsona Lake airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- June 28, 1986 · about 11:05 pm local time
- Place
- Tolsona Lake, Alaska · Tolsona Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-20 · all PA-20s on the register
- Registration
- N6910K · no longer on the register · serial 20-5
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO TURN DOWNWIND WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED DOWNDRAFT CONDITIONS DURING A FLOATPLANE TAKEOFF. THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND CRASHED INTO THE LAKE HE DEPARTED FROM.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 167 hours in all; 167 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 123 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,270 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 27, 1986; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-AB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AK58 Tolsona Lake AK
- Destination: Long Lake AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 4,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.