Piper PA-14 accident near Yantarni Bay, Alaska, September 19, 1993
On September 19, 1993 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-14, registered N4259H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Yantarni Bay, Alaska. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE LANDING ROLL. A FACTOR WAS THE CROSSWIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 19, 1993 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Yantarni Bay, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-14 · all PA-14s on the register
- Registration
- N4259H · registry record · serial 14-62
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID HE WAS LANDING ON A BEACH WHICH SLOPED ABOUT 30 DEGREES DOWN TO THE WATER. A CROSSWIND WAS BLOWING FROM THE WATER, WHICH WAS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRPLANE, AT ABOUT 20 GUSTING TO 25 KNOTS. ABOUT 150 FEET AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRPLANE ABRUPTLY TURNED ABOUT 90 DEGREES TO THE LEFT, THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED, AND BOTH WINGS HIT THE GROUND. THE PILOT SAID 'I GUESS THE CROSSWIND WAS TOO MUCH FOR ME.'
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: 3,791 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 94 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 3,256 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,320 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 14, 1993; 79 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,850 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 20 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,000 ft; not recorded at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.