Piper PA-20 accident near Anchorage, Alaska, May 28, 1994
On May 28, 1994 at about 10:35 pm local time, a Piper PA-20, registered N6174D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Anchorage International airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF AN EXHAUST VALVE. THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A FORCED LANDING WAS A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 28, 1994 · about 10:35 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Anchorage International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-20 · all PA-20s on the register
- Registration
- N6174D · registry record · serial 22-4821
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING AFTER AN EXHAUST VALVE FAILED AND WAS INGESTED INTO THE CYLINDER SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. A RETURN TO THE AIRPORT WAS NOT POSSIBLE. AIRPORT CONGESTION AND BUILDINGS LIMITED EMERGENCY LANDING AREAS AND THE PILOT COMPLETED A DITCHING IN A SWAMPY AREA ADJACENT TO AIRPORT FIRE STATION.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 5,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 16, 1993; 250 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Trading Bay AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 10,496 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N6174D 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.