Piper PA-31-T3 accident near Stebbins, Alaska, April 7, 1997
On April 7, 1997 at about 11:06 pm local time, a Piper PA-31-T3, registered N218CS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Stebbins, Alaska (Stebbins airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to continue VFR into IMC. Factors associated with the accident are fog/obscuration, and the pilot's failure to initiate a go-around earlier in the approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 7, 1997 · about 11:06 pm local time · cases in 1997
- Place
- Stebbins, Alaska · Stebbins · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-T3 · all PA-31-T3s on the register
- Registration
- N218CS · registry record · serial 31T-8275016
- 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 landing at a remote village site. Reported weather was approximately 3/8 of a mile at the time of the accident. The pilot estimated the in-flight visibility as 1.5 miles, and said although much of the runway was shrouded in fog and mist, he could see the approach end of runway 05. While on a base leg to runway 05, he said he was in too close to the runway, and elected to do a tight 'S' turn to gain additional spacing. As he turned to final, he reduced engine power to idle. He subsequently realized he was too low and too slow, heard the stall warning horn, and quickly added full power. The airplane rolled to the right, and struck the runway with the right wing.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,630 hours in all; 2,495 in this make and model; 241 in the last 90 days; 98 in the last 30 days; 9,900 as pilot in command; 1,398 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,160 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, March 12, 1997; 95 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,000 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-11 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OME Nome AK at 5:19 pm
- Destination: WBB
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 5, 3,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 0.5 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 6 |
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N218CS on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Piper PA-31 Navajo and Chieftain 934 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,837 aircraft on the register
- Engine: P&W PT6A-11 2,218 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Stebbins Airport · nearest airport
- Nome Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Alaska 5,932 since 1982 · 826 in the last ten years
- Alaska 9,144 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ANC97LA048.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.