Piper PA-32-301 accident near Nome, Alaska, March 2, 1996
On March 2, 1996 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-301, registered N8374T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nome, Alaska. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions and his failure to maintain adequate altitude/clearance from terrain. Low ceilings and snow covered terrain were factors in the accident.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 2, 1996 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Nome, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-301 · all PA-32-301s on the register
- Registration
- N8374T · registry record · serial 32-8106058
- 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 and passenger departed a remote airstrip on a commuter flight in marginal VFR conditions. The pilot reported that he was crossing low hills about 1,000 feet AGL and encountered turbulence and a possible loss of engine power. The engine did not run rough but the airplane continued to descend until impact. The airplane struck a snow covered hill about 15 miles west of the destination airport. The passenger reported that the majority of the flight was conducted with limited downward visibility. Just prior to impact, the passenger reported white-out conditions, and no terrain was visible. The airplane received damage to the landing gear, fuselage, and wings. The pilot and passenger were rescued about 4 hours after the accident. The destination airport reported weather conditions that included a 1,300 feet overcast sky and a visibility of 10 miles in light snow. The operator reported no engine malfunction.
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: 1,572 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 253 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,077 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 9, 1996; 62 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1GS (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AK54 Teller AK at 5:00 pm
- Destination: OME AK
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:54 pm from OME, 15 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N8374T 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.