Piper PA-32-300 accident near Eek, Alaska, May 3, 1991
On May 3, 1991 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N4593T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Eek, Alaska (Eek airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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
WAS THE HARD LANDING CAUSED WHEN THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT DURING THE FINAL APPROACH PORTION OF THE LANDING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE DOWNDRAFT AND THE DIRT/RIVER BANK JUST SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 3, 1991 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Eek, Alaska · Eek · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N4593T · no longer on the register · serial 32-7240071
- 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
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND STATED THAT SHE ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT ON SHORT FINAL. THE AIRPLANE FIRST TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 4 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY, BOUNCED, THEN LANDED HARD ON THE RUNWAY CAUSING ALL LANDING GEAR TO SEPARATE FROM THE FUSELAGE. THE POINT OF FIRST TOUCHDOWN WAS SLOPED DOWN AND AWAY FROM THE RUNWAY ABOUT 30 DEGREES. THE END OF THE RUNWAY WAS ABOUT 100 FEET FROM A RIVER BANK WHICH DROPPED RAPIDLY ABOUT 20 FEET.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,516 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 126 in the last 90 days; 46 in the last 30 days; 1,238 as pilot in command; 572 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,673 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 29, 1991; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Camai Air
The flight
- Departed from: AQH Quinhagak AK at 1:00 pm
- Destination: EEK AK
- Runway 17, 1,344 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 125° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.