Piper PA-20 accident near Talkeetna, Alaska, July 16, 1994
On July 16, 1994 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-20, registered N6066D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Talkeetna, Alaska (High Lake Lodge Airstrip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT MISJUDGED CLEARANCE FROM A BUSH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 16, 1994 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Talkeetna, Alaska · High Lake Lodge Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-20 · all PA-20s on the register
- Registration
- N6066D · registry record · serial 7102210
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS LANDING THE AIRPLANE AS CLOSE TO THE EAST END OF THE AIRSTRIP AS POSSIBLE TO AVOID THE ROUGH WEST END. DURING THE LANDING FLARE, THE AIRPLANE'S LEFT MAIN GEAR STRUCK A BUSH NEAR THE AIRSTRIP'S THRESHOLD. THE AIRPLANE VEERED TO THE LEFT AND THEN COLLAPSED THE RIGHT GEAR. THE AIRPLANE STOPPED ON THE AIRSTRIP AFTER TURNING BACK TO THE RIGHT.
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: 860 hours in all; 550 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 820 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 15, 1993; 180 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,850 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MRI Anchorage AK at 11:00 am
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 27, 2,500 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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 N6066D 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.