North American NAVION accident near Palmer, Alaska, October 5, 2016
On October 5, 2016 at about 7:45 pm local time, a 1947 North American NAVION, registered N8895H, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Palmer, Alaska (Palmer Muni 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
The pilot's failure to extend the landing gear for landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 5, 2016 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Palmer, Alaska · Palmer Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American NAVION A, built 1947 · all NAVIONs on the register
- Registration
- N8895H · registry record · serial NAV-4-895
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of a retractable landing gear equipped airplane reported that he landed with the landing gear retracted. He further reported that the airplane slid about 100 feet to a stop near the right edge of the runway. The fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Aviation Safety Inspector assigned to the accident, by coincidence, was already at the accident airport for an unrelated event. The inspector observed the landing gear retracted into the wheel wells and observed the landing gear handle in the up position. He further reported that the pilot was using a "noise cancelling headset." According to the inspector, the landing gear warning horn was not designed to sound through the headset/ intercom system, but would be audible in the cockpit. He reported that during the airplane recovery process the landing gear handle was moved to the down position and the landing gear extended and locked normally. The FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB), CE-16-08, Noise Cancelling Headsets, in part states: "In many cases, pilots are using the noise cancelling headsets as supplementary equipment during operations. When wearing these headsets, the pilot may be unaware of environmental sounds and audible warning annunciations in the cockpit that do not come through the intercom system." The FAA SAIB recommends that general aviation pilots and operators: • Become familiar with the safety information in FAA InFO 0700 • Elect to find other solutions to discern such alarms or sounds, or discontinue using these headsets if any audible alarms or environmental sounds cannot be discerned while wearing a noise cancelling headset. The pilot did not report whether or not he had heard the landing gear warning horn prior to landing.
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
What happened, in order
- Landing gear not configured during landing defining event
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear selector › Not used/operated
- Environmental issues › Task environment › Physical workspace › Noise › Awareness of condition
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 2,227 hours in all; 1,190 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: June 9, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,174 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 2, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-C (piston); 130 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BCV Birchwood AK
- Destination: PAQ Palmer AK
- Runway 34, 6,009 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from PAAQ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on December 1, 2016. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation (FAA Inspector) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Saib Noise Cancelling Headsets | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | FAA Info 0700 Noise Cancelling Headset | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Accident Photos (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.