Piper PA-16 accident near Bethel, Alaska, June 23, 1988
On June 23, 1988 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-16, registered N5630H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bethel, Alaska (Bethel airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 23, 1988 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Bethel, Alaska · Bethel · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-16 · all PA-16s on the register
- Registration
- N5630H · no longer on the register · serial 16-241
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE 276 HOUR PRIVATE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO TAKE OFF FROM THE BETHEL AIRPORT, BETHEL, AK., ON RUNWAY 36 IN A LEFT CROSSWIND CONDITION GIVEN BY THE TOWER AS 280 DEGREES AT 10 KNOTS. THE PILOT STATED THAT SHORTLY AFTER THE TAKEOFF ROLL BEGAN, THE LEFT WING LIFTED ABRUPTLY, AND THE AIRPLANE VEERED TOWARDS THE RIGHT EDGE OF THE RUNWAY. HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND ELECTED TO REDUCE POWER JUST AS HE BECAME AIRBORNE AND WENT OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY.
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: 276 hours in all; 191 in this make and model; 41 in the last 90 days; 41 in the last 30 days; 223 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,665 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 16, 1987; 122 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: AKI Akiak AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 6,399 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,400 ft; scat at 700 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:11 pm from BET
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.