Piper PA-32-300 accident near Eek, Alaska, June 16, 1989
On June 16, 1989 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N32062, was substantially damaged in an accident near Eek, Alaska (Eek airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE CENTER TORQUE LINK BOLT ON THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 16, 1989 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Eek, Alaska · Eek · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N32062 · no longer on the register · serial 327540011
- 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
DURING A LANDING, THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR SEPARATED FROM THE ACFT & DAMAGED THE STABILATOR. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT WAS STOPPED NEAR THE MIDPOINT OF THE RWY WITH THE RIGHT WINGTIP ABOUT 4 FT OFF THE EDGE. AN EXAM REVEALED THE CENTER TORQUE LINK BOLT HAD FAILED & ALLOWED THE OLEO STRUT TO COME LOOSE.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 1,100 in this make and model; 220 in the last 90 days; 120 in the last 30 days; 3,000 as pilot in command; 130 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 11, 1989; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KWN Quinhagak AK at 1:40 pm
- Runway 35, 1,300 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N32062 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.