Piper PA-34 accident near Dillingham, Alaska, January 13, 1997
On January 13, 1997 at about 2:35 am local time, a Piper PA-34, registered N2491U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dillingham, Alaska (Dillingham airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain sufficient altitude or clearance from terrain during a go-around. A factor related to the accident was: the dark, night condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 13, 1997 · about 2:35 am local time
- Place
- Dillingham, Alaska · Dillingham · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34 · all PA-34s on the register
- Registration
- N2491U · registry record · serial 34-7970447
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and a passenger were landing at night after making a cross-country flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a VFR flight plan was filed. The pilot reported he was demonstrating a VOR approach to the passenger. As the airplane touched down, the pilot noticed that a slight tail wind was present and the runway was slippery. He applied full power and executed a go-around. As the airplane began to climb, the pilot retracted the landing gear and flaps. He also began a slight left turn toward an unlit area of snow covered terrain. The airplane collided with the terrain and a tree, swerving the airplane to the right. The airplane came to rest in the snow with damage to the right wing, engine, propellers, and fuselage.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,744 hours in all; 440 in this make and model; 152 in the last 90 days; 53 in the last 30 days; 6,176 as pilot in command; 2,553 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,274 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 30, 1996; 57 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-EB1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SDP Sand Point AK at 1:03 am
- Destination: DLG
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 1, 6,404 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 120° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:47 am from DLG, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC97LA019.