Piper PA-32 accident near Queens Cannery, Alaska, July 6, 1989
On July 6, 1989 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-32, registered N2585M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Queens Cannery, Alaska (Queens Cannery 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
THE PILOT MISJUDGED HIS ALTITUDE AND DISTANCE TO THE RUNWAY DURING THE APPROACH AND FAILED TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT. THE GUSTY CROSSWIND AND BERM WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 6, 1989 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Queens Cannery, Alaska · Queens Cannery
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32 · all PA-32s on the register
- Registration
- N2585M · no longer on the register · serial 32-7840050
- 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
DRG ARRIVAL, THE PLT ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN TO LAND ON RWY 3. HE STATED THAT ON FINAL APCH, THE ACFT DESCENDED BELOW THE THRESHOLD OF THE RWY. ALSO, HE RPRTD HE RAISED THE NOSE & ADDED POWER, BUT THE MAIN LANDING GEAR STRUCK A BERM AT THE APCH END OF THE RWY. THE LANDING GEAR SEPARATED FROM THE ACFT & THE ACFT SLID TO A STOP ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY. THE PLT RPRTD THE WIND WAS FROM THE EAST AT 10, GUSTING 20 KTS.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 85 in the last 30 days; 300 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,440 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 28, 1989; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DLG Dillingham AK at 1:00 pm
- Runway 3, 1,400 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 12 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:50 pm from DLG, 8 miles away
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 N2585M 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.