Amateur-built DHC-3 incident near Palmer, Alaska, June 20, 1989
On June 20, 1989 at about 9:45 pm local time, a amateur-built DHC-3, registered N41755, was involved in an incident near Palmer, Alaska (Palmer airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE LUBRICATION WHICH RESULTED IN THE FAILURE OF THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER'S TRIM ACTUATOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 20, 1989 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Palmer, Alaska · Palmer · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DHC-3
- Registration
- N41755 · no longer on the register · serial 339
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE PITCHED ABRUPTLY NOSE DOWN FOLLOWING AN INFLIGHT FAILURE OF THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER'S TRIM ACTUATOR JACK SCREW. THE CREW WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND MAKE A SUCCESSFUL LANDING BY EXERTING A LARGE AMOUNT OF BACK PRESSURE ON THE CONTROL WHEEL AND ADDING NEARLY FULL ENGINE POWER. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ACTUATOR REVEALED AN INADEQUATE AMOUNT OF LUBRICATING GREASE AND EXCESSIVE PART WEAR.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,750 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 15, 1989
- Maximum gross weight: 8,000 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Woods Air Service
The flight
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 100 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N41755 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.