Grumman G-44 accident near Kodiak, Alaska, August 1, 1995
On August 1, 1995 at about 2:40 am local time, a Grumman G-44, registered N17481, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kodiak, Alaska (Kodiak airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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
OVERLOAD FAILURE OF THE MAIN LANDING GEAR WHEEL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 1, 1995 · about 2:40 am local time
- Place
- Kodiak, Alaska · Kodiak · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-44 · all G-44s on the register
- Registration
- N17481 · registry record · serial 1360
- 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 CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT AND A PASSENGER WERE DEPARTING A HARD SURFACED RUNWAY IN AN AMPHIBIOUS AIRPLANE FOR AN ON-DEMAND CHARTER FLIGHT. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE AIRPLANE LURCHED TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT APPLIED THE LEFT BRAKE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE WITHOUT ANY RESPONSE. HE ABORTED THE TAKEOFF, BUT WAS UNABLE TO PREVENT THE AIRPLANE FROM GROUND LOOPING TO THE RIGHT. INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE LEFT WHEEL RIM WAS BROKEN NEAR THE HUB BOLT HOLES. A METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE WHEEL DID NOT REVEAL ANY EVIDENCE OF FATIGUE. ALL FRACTURE SURFACES EXHIBITED EVIDENCE OF OVERLOAD.
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; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 19,990 hours in all; 11,198 in this make and model; 210 in the last 90 days; 90 in the last 30 days; 19,812 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,980 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 28, 1995; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming GO-435-C2B2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ADQ at 9:40 pm
- Destination: Danger Bay AK
- Runway 7, 7,562 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 0°F (-18°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.
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.