Piper PA-20 accident near Soldotna, Alaska, July 1, 1998
On July 1, 1998, a Piper PA-20, registered N2163A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Soldotna, Alaska (Soldotna airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadvertent stall of the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 1, 1998
- Place
- Soldotna, Alaska · Soldotna · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-20 · all PA-20s on the register
- Registration
- N2163A · registry record · serial 20-891
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certificated private pilot was practicing touch-and-go landings with a friend. During a telephone conversation with the NTSB investigator-in-charge one day after the accident, the pilot stated that he thought the winds were fairly calm as he approached runway 25. He said that while on final approach the wind increased to an estimated 10 to 15 knots from the west, and a strong downdraft pushed the airplane into trees. In his written statement dated July 27, 1998, the pilot reported that while practicing touch-and-go landings, he stalled the airplane prematurely. The airplane collided with an area of high vegetation, and came to rest about 30 feet from the end of the runway. The airplane's fuselage, and wing lift struts sustained substantial damage. The pilot indicated there were no preimpact mechanical problems with the airplane. The Soldotna Airport wind conditions at the time of the accident were reported to be 237 degrees (magnetic) at 7 knots.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 735 hours in all; 643 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 680 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,436 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 14, 1997; 59 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-C1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 5,000 ft by 130 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 237° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 pm from PAS
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.