Piper PA-31-350 accident near Dillingham, Alaska, May 8, 1995
On May 8, 1995 at about 9:42 pm local time, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N3588Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dillingham, Alaska (Dillingham airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND PREPARATION. FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACCIDENT ARE: THE DISPATCHER'S DECISION TO DISPATCH A MULTI-ENGINED AIRPLANE TO A SHORT, SOFT AIRSTRIP, AND INADEQUATE COMPANY MANAGEMENT OVERSIGHT/SURVEILLANCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 8, 1995 · about 9:42 pm local time
- Place
- Dillingham, Alaska · Dillingham · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N3588Z · no longer on the register · serial 31-8052130
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS DISPATCHED TO A REMOTE GRAVEL AIRSTRIP AT TOKSOOK TO PICK UP AN UNDETERMINED NUMBER OF PASSENGERS. UPON ARRIVAL THE PILOT LOADED THE AIRPLANE WITH 5 PASSENGERS. HE ELECTED TO TAKE OFF TO THE NORTH TO AVOID A REPORTED SOFT SPOT AT THE SOUTH END OF THE RUNWAY. THE 1,800-FT RUNWAY SLOPES UPHILL TO THE NORTH WITH A GRADIENT OF APPROX 2%. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED A SOFT SPOT AND DECELERATED. THE PILOT CONTINUED THE TAKEOFF, AND THE AIRPLANE'S RIGHT MAIN TIRE STRUCK A SNOW BERM SHORTLY AFTER PASSING OVER THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE RIGHT MAIN TIRE AND GEAR STRUT SEPARATED FROM THE LANDING GEAR. THE FLIGHT CONTINUED TO DILLINGHAM AND A GEAR UP LANDING WAS MADE. THE PILOT HAD ESTIMATED THE AIRPLANE'S TAKEOFF WEIGHT AT 6,200 POUNDS. AN FAA INSPECTOR REVIEWED THE FLIGHT'S WEIGHT AND BALANCE DATA AND COMPUTED ITS WEIGHT AT 6,576 POUNDS. AT THIS WEIGHT, THE AIRPLANE'S FLIGHT MANUAL INDICATES THAT THE AIRPLANE REQUIRES 2,200 FT FOR TAKEOFF FROM A LEVEL, HARD SURFACED RUNWAY, AND 2,100 FT WHEN LOADED TO 6,200 POUNDS. THE FLIGHT MANUAL HAS NO PROVISIONS FOR DETERMINING ADDITIONAL RUNWAY NEEDED FOR TAKEOFF FROM A SOFT, UPHILL RUNWAY.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,630 hours in all; 750 in this make and model; 245 in the last 90 days; 199 in the last 30 days; 5,800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,763 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 5, 1995; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,250 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-J2BD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OOK Toksook AK at 3:45 pm
- Destination: DLG
- Runway 1, 6,400 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; scat at 4,900 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from DLG
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.
Other NTSB records under N3588Z 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.