Piper PA-11 accident near Nenana, Alaska, March 5, 1987
On March 5, 1987 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-11, registered N4724M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nenana, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- March 5, 1987 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Nenana, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-11 · all PA-11s on the register
- Registration
- N4724M · registry record · serial 11236
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT LOST CONTROL ON TAKEOFF, STALLED AND CRASHED ON A FROZEN LAKE. DURING THE INTERVIEW WITH THE PILOT, HE STATED THAT THE ENGINE QUIT ON INITIAL CLIMBOUT; HE BELIEVED HE DID NOT PRE-HEAT THE ENGINE LONG ENOUGH BEFORE TAKEOFF. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THE TEMPERATURE WAS -5 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.
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: 400 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 380 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,928 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 13, 1986; 41 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: North Pole AK at 4:00 pm
- Destination: FAI Fairbanks AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 20 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: -6°F (-21°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:00 pm
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.
Other NTSB records under N4724M 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.