Piper PA-32-300 accident near Funter Bay, Alaska, May 25, 1992
On May 25, 1992 at about 8:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N15950, was substantially damaged in an accident near Funter Bay, Alaska. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S ATTEMPTED FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 25, 1992 · about 8:40 pm local time
- Place
- Funter Bay, Alaska
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N15950 · no longer on the register · serial 32-7340075
- 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 RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING AND RECEIVED AIRMET SIERRA WHICH STATED IFR CONDITIONS AND MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION FOR SOUTHEAST ALASKA. HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO FLY THROUGH FUNTER PASS TO GUSTAVUS WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED DETERIORATING WEATHER. HE BEGAN A TURN TO REVERSE DIRECTION AND HAD TO STOP THE TURN TO AVOID SOME EAGLES. THE AIRPLANE ENTERED AN OBSCURATION CLOSE TO A HILL AND HE STEEPENED HIS TURN AND ATTEMPTED TO STOP HIS DESCENT. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A TREE WITH THE LEFT WING, BUT CONTINUED TO FLY AND LANDED AT JUNEAU, ALASKA.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,500 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 4,400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,800 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 2, 2000; 85 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-KIA5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JUN Juneau AK at 3:35 pm
- Destination: GST Gustavus AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.