Piper PA-32-301 accident near Iliamna, Alaska, October 28, 1987
On October 28, 1987 at about 4:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-301, registered N43639, was substantially damaged in an accident near Iliamna, Alaska. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- October 28, 1987 · about 4:20 pm local time
- Place
- Iliamna, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-301 · all PA-32-301s on the register
- Registration
- N43639 · no longer on the register · serial 32840614
- 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
THE ACFT ENG LOST OIL PRESSURE DURING CRUISE. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON A SMALL AIRSTRIP. HE DID NOT MAKE IT TO THE STRIP AND OVERRAN NEARBY TUNDRA INTO ILIAMNA LAKE. THE OIL PUMP HOUSING WAS BROKEN; ONE GEAR WAS SPLIT AND THE OTHER HAD A BROKEN TOOTH. THE TEARDOWN OF THE OIL PUMP REVEALED AN OUT OF BALANCE AND WORN OIL PUMP DRIVE SHAFT.
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: 6,879 hours in all; 5,400 in this make and model; 350 in the last 90 days; 170 in the last 30 days; 6,859 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,106 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 10, 1987; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-KIG5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 9K2 Kakhonak AK at 4:00 pm
- Destination: 5NN Nondalton AK
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 10 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.