Piper PA22 accident near Seward, Alaska, April 14, 2019
On April 14, 2019, a 1955 Piper PA22, registered N3821P, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (aborted after touchdown) near Seward, Alaska. 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 maintain directional control during an attempted go-around, which resulted in impact with a snowbank.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 14, 2019 · cases in 2019
- Place
- Seward, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA22 150, built 1955 · all PA22s on the register
- Registration
- N3821P · registry record · serial 22-3511
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, during landing at a remote site and shortly after touchdown, the airplane veered right as he felt a "strong left crosswind" push the airplane right. He applied full power to go around, but the airplane continued right, the main landing gear impacted a snowbank, and the left wing impacted terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (aborted after touchdown) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (aborted after touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Snow/ice › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 236 hours in all; 181 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 29, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 2,250 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 3,705 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SWD Seward AK
- Destination: SWD Seward AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.57 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from PAWD, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on January 16, 2020. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Record of Conversation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Photo | PDF, 1 page · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N3821P the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N3821P on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Piper PA-22 Tri-Pacer and Colt 2,943 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,840 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 27,303 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Seward Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Alaska 5,932 since 1982 · 823 in the last ten years
- Alaska 9,142 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N3821P 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/GAA19CA205.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.