Skip to content

ANC89LA109

1989-06-28 · KENAI, Alaska, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport ENA

Current FAA registration · N5302W

Make / Model
PIPER PA-28
Engine
LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19620209
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A6B320

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO OBTAIN PROPER ASSISTANCE IN STARTING THE ENGINE AND/OR HIS INADEQUATE SUPERVISION. THE PASSENGER'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRCRAFT RESULTED IN HER IMPROPER USE OF THE THROTTLE WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT.

Factual narrative

THE PLT WAS HAND PROPPING HIS ACFT WHILE HIS WIFE, WHO WAS NOT A PLT, WAS AT THE CONTROLS. WHEN THE ENG STARTED, SHE TRIED TO FOLLOW HIS INSTRUCTIONS TO 'THROTTLE DOWN,' BUT INCREASED THE THROTTLE SETTING, INSTEAD OF DECREASING IT. SHE WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE ACFT OR SHUT DOWN THE ENG BEFORE THE ACFT CRASHED INTO A PARKED AIRPLANE. BOTH ACFT WERE SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_ANC89LA109.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Search this event elsewhere

External sources are reported, not agency: signal that something happened, not fact about what happened.