ANC04LA117

Factual narrative

On September 17, 2004, about 1305 Alaska daylight time, a Piper PA-31-350 airplane, N41185, sustained substantial damage when it landed on a gravel-surfaced runway with the landing gear retracted at the Minchumina Airport, which is located about 40 miles north-northeast of Telida, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) scheduled passenger flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated as Flight 147, by Everts Air Alaska, Fairbanks, Alaska. The airline transport certificated pilot and the sole passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. A VFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport, Galena, Alaska, about 1129, for a flight to Fairbanks, via Minchumina. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on September 17, the director of operations for the operator reported that the pilot was landing on runway 02. The director of operation said he was informed by the pilot that he did not extend the landing gear for landing. The airplane slid on the gravel and received damage to the flaps, propellers, and fuselage. In his statement, contained in the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, (NTSB Form 6120.1/2) submitted by the operator, the pilot stated that the landing gear was not extended, which resulted in a gear-up landing. On September 29, the director of maintenance for the operator reported that the airplane fuselage repairs would necessitate a major repair, to include replacement of belly skin, aft of the nose landing gear well, and replacement of the aft nose gear well bulkhead. According to the FAA's Facility Directory/Alaska Supplement, the Minchumina airport has a single gravel-surfaced runway with a 020/200 magnetic orientation. Runway 02 is 4,200 feet long and 100 feet wide. At 1256, an Aviation Routine Weather Report (METAR) at Minchumina was reporting in part: Wind, calm; visibility, 10 statute miles; sky condition and visibility, 5,500 feet overcast; temperature, 32 degrees F; dew point, 22 degrees F; altimeter, 30.18 inHg. The airline transport certificated pilot was landing on a remote, gravel-surface runway that was 4,200 feet long, and 100 feet wide. The landing was during a scheduled passenger flight, with one passenger. The director of operations and the pilot both reported that the landing gear was not extended for landing. The airplane slid on the gravel and received damage to the flaps, propellers, and fuselage. The director of maintenance for the operator reported that the airplane fuselage repairs would necessitate a major repair, to include replacement of belly skin aft of the nose landing gear well, and replacement of the aft nose gear well bulkhead. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12