Piper PA-22 accident near Bettles, Alaska, January 6, 1990
On January 6, 1990 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-22, registered N2728P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bettles, Alaska. 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
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, HIGH WIND, DOWNDRAFT, AND MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 6, 1990 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bettles, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22 · all PA-22s on the register
- Registration
- N2728P · registry record · serial 223034
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THAT AS HE WAS FLYING OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, A SEVERE DOWNDRAFT WAS ENCTRD NEAR A RIDGE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT DSCNDD TO THE GROUND & CRASHED. ELEVATION OF THE CRASH SITE WAS ABOUT 3600 FT. THE PLT ESTIMATED THE WIND WAS FROM 290 DEG AT 65 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 166 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 128 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Old Man AK at 4:15 pm
- Destination: Caribou Bar AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 65 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 16°F (-9°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.