Piper PA-22 accident near Drift River, Alaska, March 20, 1993
On March 20, 1993 at about 3:23 pm local time, a Piper PA-22, registered N72999, was substantially damaged in an accident near Drift River, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOTS INADVERTENT VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC CONDITIONS. FACTORS WERE THE RISING TERRAIN AND THE WHITEOUT CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 20, 1993 · about 3:23 pm local time
- Place
- Drift River, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22 · all PA-22s on the register
- Registration
- N72999 · registry record · serial 22-6507
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE PILOT'S FIRST ATTEMPT TO FLY THROUGH LAKE CLARK PASS, HE MISTAKENLY TURNED UP THE WRONG VALLEY. WHEN THE ALREADY POOR FLIGHT VISIBILITY CONTINUED TO DETERIORATE, HE BEGAN A 180 DEGREE TURN TO GET OUT OF THE VALLEY, DURING WHICH HE ENTERED WHITEOUT CONDITIONS. WHEN HE SAW MOUNTAINS ON BOTH SIDES, HE KNEW THAT HE HAD MISSED THE TURN OUT OF THE VALLEY. WITH NO DEPTH PERCEPTION ON WHICH TO ESTIMATE HIS ALTITUDE ABOVE THE GROUND, HE APPLIED FULL ENGINE POWER AND MAINTAINED THE BEST CLIMB ATTITUDE. VERY SOON AFTERWARD THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH, AND NOSED OVER ON, A GLACIER. DURING THE PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING THE PILOT WAS TOLD THAT LAKE CLARK PASS WAS FORECAST TO BE MARGINAL VFR TO IFR.
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: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 484 hours in all; 125 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 395 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,095 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 18, 1993; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AK01 Palmer AK at 1:38 pm
- Destination: AKN King Salmon AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 045° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,500 ft; not recorded at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N72999 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.