Piper PA-14 accident near Anchorage, Alaska, November 8, 1991
On November 8, 1991 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-14, registered N4285H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Flying Crown airport). 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
THE PILOT'S LOSS OF CONTROL DURING FINAL APPROACH WHEN HIS ATTENTION WAS DIVERTED TO TRYING TO OPERATE THE VERNIER THROTTLE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRCRAFT AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE ON THE GROUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 8, 1991 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Flying Crown · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-14 · all PA-14s on the register
- Registration
- N4285H · registry record · serial 14-90
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT STATED THAT, JUST BEFORE TOUCHDOWN, HE MADE AN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT TO MANIPULATE THE VERNIER TYPE THROTTLE IN ORDER TO SLOW HIS HIGH DESCENT RATE. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY LANDED HARD, BOUNCED BACK INTO THE AIR, STALLED, AND COLLIDED WITH TWO PARKED AIRPLANES. THE PILOT HAD JUST BOUGHT THE AIRPLANE AND HAD ONLY ABOUT 2 HOURS IN THIS TYPE AIRPLANE. HE SAID HE WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE VERNIER TYPE THROTTLE WHICH HAD BEEN ILLEGALLY INSTALLED IN THE AIRPLANE SOMETIME BEFORE HE BOUGHT IT.
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: 1,625 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 1,600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,099 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 22, 1989; 130 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ENA Kenai AK at 12:30 pm
- Destination: NONE Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 1,100 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 18°F (-8°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.