Piper PA-22 accident near Twin Hills, Alaska, May 10, 1992
On May 10, 1992 at about 5:25 am local time, a Piper PA-22, registered N3498A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Twin Hills, Alaska (Twin Hills 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
DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS NOT MAINTAINED. A FACTOR TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: A BIRD.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 10, 1992 · about 5:25 am local time
- Place
- Twin Hills, Alaska · Twin Hills · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22 · all PA-22s on the register
- Registration
- N3498A · registry record · serial 22-1770
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF GROUND RUN, A LARGE RAVEN FLEW TOWARDS THE PROPELLER. THE PILOT MANEUVERED THE AIRPLANE TO AVOID COLLIDING WITH THE BIRD AND LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THE AIRPLANE TRAVELLED OFF THE RUNWAY AND NOSED OVER IN THE TUNDRA.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 405 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 201 in the last 90 days; 105 in the last 30 days; 333 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1992; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 2,000 ft by 45 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 45°F (7°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.