Piper PA-22 accident near Theodore River, Alaska, June 16, 1987
On June 16, 1987 at about 5:30 am local time, a Piper PA-22, registered N2447P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Theodore River, Alaska. 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 16, 1987 · about 5:30 am local time
- Place
- Theodore River, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22 · all PA-22s on the register
- Registration
- N2447P · no longer on the register · serial 22-2818
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT ELECTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF ATTEMPT FROM AN ABANDONED ROADWAY TOO LATE TO STOP IN TIME TO AVOID GOING INTO BRUSH AND SMALL TREES. HE SAID HE DECIDED AGAINST THE TAKEOFF AT ABOUT THE MID-POINT IN THE 4000 FOOT GRAVEL SECTION OF THE ROAD. THE BRAKES CAUSED THE WHEELS TO SLIDE AND HE WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP IN THE REMAINING ONE-QUARTER MILE.
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
- Flight time: 175 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 140 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,700 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MRI Theodore River AK
- Destination: MRI Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 4,000 ft by 18 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N2447P the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.