At about 15:10 Alaska time, a Piper PA-31T3 crashed shortly after a rejected landing at Nuiqsut Airport. The pilot and four passengers were killed and five passengers received serious injuries. Witnesses said the airplane touched down on runway 22 with the landing gear retracted. The fuselage-mounted belly cargo pod lightly scraped the runway for about 40 feet, but the airplane transitioned to a climb. As the airplane began climbing away from the runway, the landing gear was observed to extend. The airplane climbed to about 100 to 150 feet above the ground and began a descending left turn until it crashed about 300 yards south of the airport.
Sept. 18, Nuiqsut, Alaska / Piper Chieftain
At about 15:10 Alaska time, a Piper PA-31T3 crashed shortly after a rejected landing at Nuiqsut Airport. The pilot and four passengers were killed and five passengers received serious injuries. Witnesses said the airplane touched down on runway 22 with the landing gear retracted. The fuselage-mounted belly cargo pod lightly scraped the runway for about 40 feet, but the airplane transitioned to a climb. As the airplane began climbing away from the runway, the landing gear was observed to extend. The airplane climbed to about 100 to 150 feet above the ground and began a descending left turn until it crashed about 300 yards south of the airport....
Key Takeaways:
- A Piper PA-31T3 crashed at Nuiqsut Airport shortly after a rejected landing, resulting in five fatalities (pilot and four passengers) and five serious injuries.
- Witnesses observed the aircraft initially touched down on runway 22 with its landing gear retracted, scraping the runway before transitioning to a climb.
- After climbing to 100-150 feet and extending its landing gear, the airplane began a descending left turn and crashed about 300 yards south of the airport.
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