Piper PA-22-108 accident near Alder Creek, Alaska, June 19, 1989
On June 19, 1989 at about 1:00 am local time, a Piper PA-22-108, registered N4912Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Alder Creek, Alaska (Alder Creek airport). It was a personal 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
SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN (UNIMPROVED STRIP) BY THE PILOT. SOFT/UNEVEN TERRAIN & LOW BUSHES ON THE STRIP, AS WELL AS ALDERS BESIDE THE STRIP, WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 19, 1989 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Alder Creek, Alaska · Alder Creek
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-108 · all PA-22-108s on the register
- Registration
- N4912Z · no longer on the register · serial 228998
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD HE LOST CONTROL OF THE ACFT DURING TAKEOFF ON A SOFT/ROUGH STRIP COVERED WITH LOW BUSHES. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT WENT OFF THE RWY, RAN INTO ALDERS, & NOSED OVER. THE PLT BELIEVED THE ACDNT MAY HAVE BEEN AVOIDED, IF THE STRIP HAD BEEN MOWED SO THAT ITS ROUGH AREAS WOULD HAVE BEEN SEEN.
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: 2,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,864 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 6, 1988; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 950 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
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.