Piper PA-31-350 accident near Sheldon Point, Alaska, June 29, 1994
On June 29, 1994, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N41185, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sheldon Point, Alaska (Sheldon Point airport). 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN A PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT. FACTOR WAS THE INADEQUATE RUNWAY MARKING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 1994 · cases in 1994
- Place
- Sheldon Point, Alaska · Sheldon Point · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N41185 · no longer on the register · serial 31-8553001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE TERRAIN SLOPED UP TO THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD AT AN ANGLE OF 7 TO 8 DEGREES. IT WAS THE SAME COLORED GRAVEL AS THE RUNWAY. THE THRESHOLD WAS MARKED WITH AN ORANGE CONE ON EACH SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AT THE CREST OF THE SLOPE AND RUNWAY THRESHOLD. THE PILOT LANDED SHORT OF THE THRESHOLD, ON THE SLOPE, AND BENT THE MAIN GEAR REARWARD.
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: 12,791 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,557 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 17, 1993; 211 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,200 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-J2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KSM St. Marys AK at 3:40 pm
- Destination: SXP
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 2,190 ft by 45 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N41185 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N41185: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Piper PA-31 Navajo and Chieftain 934 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,848 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-J2B 6 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Nunam Iqua Airport · nearest airport
- St. Mary'S Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Alaska 5,932 since 1982 · 826 in the last ten years
- Alaska 9,146 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N41185 3 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ANC94LA072.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.