Piper PA-32R-300 accident near Haines, Alaska, July 7, 1995
On July 7, 1995 at about 10:56 pm local time, a Piper PA-32R-300, registered N6281J, was destroyed in an accident near Haines, Alaska. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 6 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE ALTITUDE ABOVE AND CLEARANCE FROM THE SURROUNDING TERRAIN. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S IMPROPER DECISION TO CONDUCT THE MANEUVER IN SUCH CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE RISING TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 7, 1995 · about 10:56 pm local time
- Place
- Haines, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 6 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-300 · all PA-32R-300s on the register
- Registration
- N6281J · no longer on the register · serial 32R-7680348
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER DEPARTING ON AN AIR TOUR FLIGHT, THE PILOT CIRCLED ABOUT 700 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL ALONG A SHORELINE TO OBSERVE A MOOSE. AT THE TIME, THE PILOT WAS IN RADIO COMMUNICATION WITH ANOTHER AIR TOUR PILOT WHO WAS ABOUT 1/2 MILE IN TRAIL. AFTER COMPLETING THE TURN ABOVE THE MOOSE, THE PILOT WAS OBSERVED BY THE IN-TRAIL PILOT TO BEGIN A DESCENT. THE ACCIDENT PILOT RADIOED TO THE IN-TRAIL PILOT THAT HE WANTED TO CIRCLE AROUND A BEAR AND HER CUBS ON THE SHORELINE. THE IN-TRAIL PILOT, AS WELL AS A GROUND WITNESS, OBSERVED THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE INITIATE TURNS TOWARD RAPIDLY RISING TERRAIN, THEN LEVEL THE WINGS AND CLIMB IN A NOSE-HIGH ATTITUDE TOWARD THE RISING TERRAIN. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TREES ABOUT 500 FEET ABOVE THE SHORELINE. NO DISTRESS CALLS WERE REPORTED. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE DID NOT REVEAL ANY EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. AN ON-SHORE WIND OF ABOUT 10 KNOTS PREVAILED AT THE TIME. THE DIRECTOR OF FLIGHT OPERATIONS STATED THAT HE RECOMMENDS TO HIS PILOTS TO NOT CIRCLE GAME DURING FLIGHTSEEING FLIGHTS.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,425 hours in all; 125 in the last 90 days; 111 in the last 30 days; 1,156 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,977 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 27, 1995; 59 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: HNS AK at 9:50 pm
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,500 ft; scat at 3,400 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:00 pm from HNS, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.