Piper PA-31 accident near Naked Island, Alaska, August 2, 1990
On August 2, 1990 at about 7:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-31, registered N27425, was substantially damaged in an accident near Naked Island, Alaska. 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
A LEFT ENGINE FAILURE FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 2, 1990 · about 7:40 pm local time
- Place
- Naked Island, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31 · all PA-31s on the register
- Registration
- N27425 · no longer on the register · serial 7752174
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT THE LEFT ENGINE FAILED INFLIGHT AND WOULD NOT RESTART. SUBSEQUENTLY, HE WAS FORCED TO DITCH THE AIRCRAFT IN THE OCEAN. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED, BUT THE AIRCRAFT SANK INTO 1200 TO 1400 FEET OF WATER AND WAS NOT RECOVERED. ,
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,000 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 14,000 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 1, 1990; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CDV Cordova AK at 2:15 pm
- Destination: ANC Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.