Piper PA-22 accident near Jay Creek, Alaska, August 21, 1993
On August 21, 1993 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-22, registered N6066D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jay Creek, 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 visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN ON WHICH TO LAND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 1993 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Jay Creek, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22 · all PA-22s on the register
- Registration
- N6066D · registry record · serial 22-4719
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID THAT WHILE FLYING THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS THE CEILING AND VISIBILITY GRADUALLY GOT WORSE TO WHERE HE DID NOT THINK HE WOULD BE ABLE TO GET THROUGH THE DESIRED AREA. HE TURNED AROUND, FLEW FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES, THEN DECIDED TO LAND ON A GRAVEL BAR TO WAIT FOR THE WEATHER TO IMPROVE TO TRY THE FLIGHT AGAIN. ABOUT 20 FEET AFTER TOUCHING DOWN THE LEFT MAIN WHEEL HIT A ROCK. THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED AND THE LEFT WING HIT THE GROUND.
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: 500 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 52 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 450 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,431 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 15, 1993; 110 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TKA Talkeetna AK at 2:00 pm
- Destination: Nelchina AK
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,000 ft; not recorded at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°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 N6066D 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.