Grumman G21A accident near Mt. Fairweather, Ca, March 21, 1994
On March 21, 1994 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Grumman G21A, registered N741, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mt. Fairweather. It was a public-use flight under public-use (government) rules. 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER DECISION IN ATTEMPTING TO OUTCLIMB THE RISING TERRAIN WITH THE EXISTING AIRPLANE CLIMB PERFORMANCE. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE, THE OVER MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE, HIGH TERRAIN, HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT FLYING EXPERIENCE, HIS OVERCONFIDENCE IN HIS AIRMANSHIP ABILITY, QUESTIONABLE TESTING OF THE PILOT'S FLYING COMPETENCY AND PROFICIENCY, AND THE STATE OF ALASKA'S INADEQUATE OVERSIGHT OF THE AVIATION PROGRAM WHICH ALLOWED MANAGEMENT TO DISREGARD THEIR OWN REGULATIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 21, 1994 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Mt. Fairweather, Canada
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G21A · all G21As on the register
- Registration
- N741 · registry record · serial B-97
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STATE-OPERATED AMPHIBIAN WAS UNABLE TO OUTCLIMB RISING TERRAIN AND IMPACTED THE MARGERIE GLACIER, COMING TO REST AT 9,650 FT MSL. PILOT HAD NOT FLOWN SINCE LAST PROFICIENCY CHECK ON 11/27/93. PILOT'S CHECKS WERE CONDUCTED BY A CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE WHO REPORTED DIRECTLY TO THE PILOT. PILOT DID NOT PERFORM WEIGHT & BALANCE. AIRPLANE 1,403 LBS OVER MAX GROSS WEIGHT. ADDITIONALLY, 80 LBS OF FROZEN WATER WAS FOUND IN THE BILGES OF THE HULL. AT THE POWER AND CARB AIR TEMP SETTINGS USED BY THE PILOT, THE AIRPLANE REACHED MAX PERFORMANCE AT APRX 5,000 FT MSL. INVESTIGATION DELEGATED TO THE U.S. BY CANADA.
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, flight engineer, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 3,400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,773 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 5, 1993; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,200 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R986-SB/SB2 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: State Of Alaska
The flight
- Departed from: JNU Juneau AK at 2:30 pm
- Destination: ANC Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from YAK, 50 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.
Other NTSB records under N741 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.