Piper PA-31T N308SC
31 March 1991 · Kenai, Alaska, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 31 March 1991 at about 01:31 local time, a Piper PA-31T registered N308SC, operated by South Central Air, Inc., was involved in an accident near Kenai, Alaska, United States. 10 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 01:31
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Kenai, Alaska, United States
- Nearest airport
- Kenai (ENA)
- Coordinates
- 60.6609, -150.9007
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31T
- Registration
- N308SC
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- South Central Air, Inc.
- Operating rule
- Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Anchorage → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Night/Bright
- NTSB number
- ANC91LA043
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
Probable cause
THE FAILED NOSE GEAR SHIMMY DAMPNER, CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE ROUGH ICE AND SNOW COVERED RAMPS WHERE THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN OPERATING AND THE LACK OF MAINTENANCE ON THE RUNWAYS.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE PILOT REPORTED AN UNSAFE NOSE GEAR LIGHT, FOLLOWING THE AFTER TAKEOFF GEAR RETRACTION. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO LOWER THE NOSE GEAR AND LANDED AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT WITH IT RETRACTED. INVESTIGATION FOUND THAT THE NOSE GEAR SHIMMY DAMPNER HAD FAILED AND HAD BECOME JAMMED IN THE WHEEL WELL WHEN RETRACTED. THE FAILED SHIMMY DAMPNER WAS BLAMED ON THE ROUGH ICE AND SNOW COVERED RAMPS AT THE ORIGIN AND DESTINATION AIRPORTS.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-31T accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 Sep 1991 | Piper PA-31T-620 | Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States | Brazos Roofing Intl., Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 5 Nov 1992 | Piper PA-31T-620 | Medford, Oregon, United States | Ameriflight Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 17 Feb 1992 | Piper PA-31T-II | Big Bear, California, United States | Andrew & Williamson Sales Co. | Fatal | 7 |
| 10 Jun 1992 | Piper PA-31T | Addison, Texas, United States | RR Investments | No injuries | - |
| 31 Jan 1992 | Piper PA-31T | Swanton, Ohio, United States | Testa, Thomas J. | Fatal | 3 |
| 6 Jan 1989 | Piper PA-31T | Craig, Colorado, United States | Cummins Power Inc | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Mar 1991 | Piper PA-20 | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | Hickok, Bruce D. | No injuries | - |
| 22 May 1991 | David K Maxwell MAX-1 | Sutton, Alaska, United States | Stanley R. Dapkus | Serious injuries | - |
| 5 Jan 1991 | Cessna 172G | Wasilla, Alaska, United States | Larry M. Driskill | No injuries | - |
| 2 Feb 1991 | Champion 7EC | Eagle River, Alaska, United States | Robert C. Bischoff | No injuries | - |
| 29 Mar 1991 | Cessna 206 | Homer, Alaska, United States | - | Fatal | 4 |
| 9 Apr 1991 | Piper PA-18-150 | Tatitlek, Alaska, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |