Piper PA-31 accident near Tatitlek, Alaska, December 25, 1991
On December 25, 1991 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-31, registered N27827, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tatitlek, Alaska (Tatitlek airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 3 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PERFORM A GO AROUND. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE ICY RUNWAY CONDITION AND THE FAILURE OF THE FSS PERSONNEL TO PROPERLY ISSUE AND DISSEMINATE A NOTAM CONCERNING THE ICY RUNWAY CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 25, 1991 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Tatitlek, Alaska · Tatitlek · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31 · all PA-31s on the register
- Registration
- N27827 · no longer on the register · serial 31-7952006
- 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 AIRPLANE LANDED ON AN ICE AND WATER COVERED RUNWAY, THEN WAS UNABLE TO STOP BEFORE RUNNING OFF THE DEPARTURE END. ON THE PREVIOUS DAY, A PILOT HAD REPORTED, TO A NEARBY FAA FSS, THAT THE RUNWAY WAS COVERED WITH GLARE ICE AND WATER AND THAT THE BRAKING ACTION WAS NIL. THIS INFORMATION WAS NOT PUT IN A NOTAM, AND THE ACCIDENT PILOT WAS NOT AWARE OF THE RUNWAY CONDITION PRIOR TO LANDING.
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: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,400 hours in all; 375 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 3,300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,083 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, November 9, 1991; 36 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-J2BD (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Security Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: ANC Anchorage AK at 2:24 pm
- Destination: AK47 Tatitlek AK
- Runway 3, 2,200 ft by 95 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.