Piper PA-22 accident near Iliamna, Alaska, March 7, 1993
On March 7, 1993 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-22, registered N67559, was destroyed in an accident near Iliamna, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT IN COMMANDS ATTEMPT TO CONDUCT A VISUAL FLIGHT DURING INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE EMERGENCY 180 DEGREE TURN MANEUVER TO REVERSE DIRECTION. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE SNOW AND WHITEOUT CONDITION AND THE PILOT IN COMMANDS LIMITED EXPERIENCE IN PERFORMING 180 TURNS SOLELY BY REFERENCE TO THE PLANE'S BASIC COCKPIT INSTRUMENTATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 7, 1993 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Iliamna, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22 · all PA-22s on the register
- Registration
- N67559 · no longer on the register · serial 226480
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) RESTRICTED PRIVATE PILOT STATED THAT HE DEPARTED THE AIRPORT IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WITH THE INTENT OF MAINTAINING VISUAL REFERENCE WITH THE GROUND BY RELYING ON PROMINENT GROUND FEATURES. ONCE ALOFT, HE REALIZED THAT THERE WERE NO PROMINENT GROUND REFERENCE FEATURES ALONG THE SHORELINE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE FLEW INTO WHITEOUT CONDITIONS AND BECAME ENGROSSED IN TRYING TO FIND THE GROUND RATHER THAN FLYING THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT FURTHER STATED THAT HE BECAME SPATIALLY DISORIENTED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PERFORM A 180 DEGREE TURN MANEUVER AND THAT THE AIRPLANE CRASHED IN AN INVERTED ATTITUDE.
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: 225 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 225 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,725 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 3, 1992; 170 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: DLG Dillingham AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 15 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from ILI, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.