Piper PA-32-301 accident near Portage Creek, Alaska, July 11, 1994
On July 11, 1994 at about 8:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-301, registered N8297X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Portage Creek, Alaska (Portage Creek airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 3 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND PREPARATION, AND HIS FAILURE TO ENSURE THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS WITHIN ITS GROSS WEIGHT AND CENTER-OF-GRAVITY LIMITS, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INABILITY TO OBTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED FOR SUSTAINED FLIGHT AND A RESULTANT STALL/MUSH. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE SOFT/WET/UPHILL RUNWAY CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 11, 1994 · about 8:40 pm local time
- Place
- Portage Creek, Alaska · Portage Creek · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-301 · all PA-32-301s on the register
- Registration
- N8297X · no longer on the register · serial 32-8006077
- 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
ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, THE AIRPLANE WAS HEAVILY LOADED WITH PASSENGERS & BAGGAGE. THE PILOT ELECTED TO TAKE OFF EAST ON A 1920' SOFT WET RUNWAY WITH A 2-DEGREE UPSLOPE, WHICH ENDED AT A STEEP DROP-OFF. ABOUT 20 MILES EAST AT DILLINGHAM, THE 1147 ADT WIND WAS FROM 060 DEGREES AT 5 KNOTS. THE WITNESS SAID THAT THE WIND WAS FROM THE EAST WITH GUSTS TO 20 KNOTS & THAT THE AIRPLANE ACCELERATED SLOWLY DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL. TIRE MARKS (MATCHING THE AIRPLANE) SHOWED THAT IT LIFTED OFF 261' BEFORE THE END OF THE RUNWAY. AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE AIRPLANE SETTLED IN A DESCENDING LEFT TURN & CRASHED. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL FAILURE WAS EVIDENT. THE AIRPLANE'S WEIGHT & BALANCE WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 4011 POUNDS WITH A CENTER-OF-GRAVITY (CG) OF 97.8 INCHES. ITS MAXIMUM CERTIFICATED GROSS WEIGHT WAS 3600 POUNDS WITH A CG RANGE OF 90 TO 95 INCHES.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,700 hours in all; 780 in this make and model; 428 in the last 90 days; 144 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,486 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: DLG Dillingham AK
- Runway 9, 1,920 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 5 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast; not recorded
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 | 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.