Piper PA-20 accident near King Salmon, Alaska, October 12, 1990
On October 12, 1990 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-20, registered N7049K, was substantially damaged in an accident near King Salmon, Alaska (Unnamed 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
INADVERTANT STALL DURING AN ABORTED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 12, 1990 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- King Salmon, Alaska · Unnamed · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-20 · all PA-20s on the register
- Registration
- N7049K · registry record · serial 20-157
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE UNCERTIFICATED PILOT-IN-COMMAND, HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO TEST THE CONDITION OF THE AIRSTRIP BY TOUCHING DOWN LIGHTLY. UPON TOUCHDOWN ON THE FRESH WET SNOW COVERED AIRSTRIP, THE AIRPLANE DECELERATED RAPIDLY AND HE APPLIED FULL POWER. THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF AND WAS FLYING IN GROUND EFFECT TOWARD THE RIVER. THE PILOT ELECTED TO MAKE A TURN AN REMAIN OVER LAND. THE LEFT WING DROPPED SUDDENLY, RECOVERED, THEN DROPPED AGAIN AND THE AIRPLANE FLEW INTO THE ALDER BUSHES SIDEWAYS.
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
- Flight time: 85 hours in all; 82 in this make and model; 64 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Field Site AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 800 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 36°F (2°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.
Other NTSB records under N7049K 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.