Piper J3 accident near Denali Nat'L Pk, Alaska, April 10, 1994
On April 10, 1994 at about 1:00 am local time, a Piper J3, registered N37932, was substantially damaged in an accident near Denali Nat'L Pk, Alaska. It was a business 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 FAILURE OF THE LANDING GEAR BOLT ATTACHMENT FITTING DUE TO FATIGUE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 10, 1994 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Denali Nat'L Pk, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3 · all J3s on the register
- Registration
- N37932 · no longer on the register · serial 6709
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT, ALASKA HUNTING GUIDE, WAS FLYING SUPPLIES TO CLIENTS IN THE FIELD LANDED ON REMOTE SNOW COVERED TUNDRA. UPON LANDING, THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR BOLT ATTACHMENT FITTING FAILED AND THE PLANE GROUND LOOPED. PREEXISTING FATIGUE WAS NOTED ON ATTACHMENT FITTING. THE FITTING IS NORMALLY ENCLOSED IN FABRIC RENDERING IT INACCESSIBLE FOR VISUAL INSPECTION.
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: 2,511 hours in all; 2,151 in this make and model; 112 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 2,511 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,110 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 4, 1993; 146 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,270 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1-TC (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Trapper Creek AK at 7:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,500 ft; not recorded at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
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.