Piper PA-32-300 accident near Hoonah, Alaska, October 6, 1989
On October 6, 1989 at about 1:05 am local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N7193F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hoonah, Alaska (Hoonah airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was seriously injured and 5 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: UNFAVORABLE/GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS AND THE BERM.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 6, 1989 · about 1:05 am local time
- Place
- Hoonah, Alaska · Hoonah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 5 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N7193F · no longer on the register · serial 32-7740013
- 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 PLT RPRTD THAT DURING THE LANDING, THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN, THEN BECAME AIRBORNE. IT RESETTLED TO THE RWY AGAIN & POWER WAS REDUCED, THEN A SUDDEN GUST OF WIND FROM THE RIGHT RAISED THE RIGHT WING. THE PLT TRIED TO CORRECT WITH RIGHT RUDDER & AILERON CONTROL, BUT HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT VEERED OFF THE RWY & COLLIDED WITH A BERM. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS RPRTD. THE PLT RPRTD THE WIND WAS FROM 050 DEG AT 15 TO 20 KTS.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,700 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 350 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 1,650 as pilot in command; 150 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JNU Juneau AK at 7:40 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 5, 3,100 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 4 |
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.