Piper PA-38 accident near Talkeetna, Alaska, December 8, 1991
On December 8, 1991 at about 5:43 pm local time, a Piper PA-38, registered N9765T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Talkeetna, Alaska (Talkeetna 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 IMPROPER FLARE FOLLOWING AN ABORTED TAKEOFF, WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING AND THE SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OF OPERATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 8, 1991 · about 5:43 pm local time
- Place
- Talkeetna, Alaska · Talkeetna · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38 · all PA-38s on the register
- Registration
- N9765T · no longer on the register · serial 78A0194
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
JUST AFTER LIFT OFF THE AIRPLANE'S WINGS ROCKED LEFT AND RIGHT SEVERAL TIMES. THE PILOT ABORTED THE TAKEOFF AND THE AIRPLANE LANDED HARD ON AN APPROXIMATE 30 DEGREE HEADING FROM THAT OF THE RUNWAY, THEN SKIDDED OFF THE RUNWAY. A WITNESS BY THE RUNWAY STATED THAT THE PILOT APPEARED TO BE HAVING TROUBLE KEEPING THE AIRPLANE ALIGNED WITH THE RUNWAY BOTH ON THE GROUND AND IN THE AIR.
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: 91 hours in all; 82 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 53 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,977 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 27, 1991; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Ulmer, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: TKA Talkeetna AK at 5:43 pm
- Destination: MRI Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 10°F (-12°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 pm from TKA, 1 miles away
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.