Piper PA-22 accident near Port Moller, Alaska, July 15, 1990
On July 15, 1990 at about 2:30 am local time, a Piper PA-22, registered N1765A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Port Moller, Alaska (Port Moller Afs airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING LANDING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE UNFAVORABLE WINDS, THE SOFT RUNWAY SURFACE, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF TRAINING AND TOTAL EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 1990 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Port Moller, Alaska · Port Moller Afs · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22 · all PA-22s on the register
- Registration
- N1765A · registry record · serial 22-499
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT LOST CONTROL AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER WHILE LANDING ON A SOFT RUNWAY. STRONG, GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS EXISTED AT THE TIME. THE PILOT REPORTED HAVING A TOTAL OF 91 HOURS, WITH ONLY ONE HOUR WITH A CFI. HIS FAA MEDICAL CERTIFICATE HAD EXPIRED, AND HE HAD NOT BEEN APPROVED TO SOLO. THE AIRPLANE, OWNED BY THE PILOT, WAS OVERDUE FOR AN ANNUAL INSPECTION.
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: student
- Flight time: 91 hours in all; 91 in this make and model; 1 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,085 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 22, 1988; 91 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5NK Naknek AK at 6:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 3,500 ft by 130 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 20 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.