Cessna 337T accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, March 9, 1997
On March 9, 1997 at about 11:09 pm local time, a Cessna 337T, registered N922EJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fairbanks, Alaska (Fairbanks International airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
a leaking landing gear actuator seal, which resulted in an inability of the landing gear to lock in the down position. Failure of the emergency gear extension handle was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 9, 1997 · about 11:09 pm local time
- Place
- Fairbanks, Alaska · Fairbanks International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 337T · all 337Ts on the register
- Registration
- N922EJ · no longer on the register · serial 337-0944
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed on a local flight at night, but discovered the landing gear handle did not return to the neutral position within the normal time. The 'gear up' annunciator light did not illuminate. A pass near the airport tower confirmed the nose gear appeared down, the main landing gear doors were open, and the gear appeared not to be positioned normally. The pilot attempted to use the emergency hydraulic gear pump, but the pump handle broke off as he was attempting to activate the pump. The pilot contacted his maintenance provider, who recommended several options and methods to get the main gear to lock down. These were unsuccessful, and the pilot elected to land on a snow covered ski strip. The lower portion of the right vertical stabilizer and right rudder received damage when the airplane touched down in a nose high attitude. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed a leaking seal in a gear actuator.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,101 hours in all; 258 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 1,059 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,498 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 24, 1997; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FAI at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 3,978 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 173° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 3°F (-16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:52 pm from FAI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 N922EJ 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.