Piper PA-31 Cheyenne crash, Sep 18, 2000 (5 killed), Nuiqsut
Piper PA-31 Cheyenne accident on September 18, 2000 near Nuiqsut, Alaska, United States with 5 fatalities. Cause: The pilot's failure to extend the...
- Date: September 18, 2000
- Aircraft: Piper PA-31 Cheyenne
- Location: Nuiqsut, Alaska, United States
- Fatalities: 5
- Phase of flight: Approach and landing
- Cause: The pilot's failure to extend the landing gear, an improper aborted landing procedure and an inadvertent stall. Factors included a faulty gear warning horn adjustment by maintenance personnel and the pilot's failure to use the pre-landing checklist.
A Cape Smythe Air Service Cheyenne on a scheduled commuter flight from Deadhorse to Nuiqsut touched down with its landing gear retracted and then began a climb-out with the gear extended. The pilot turned back into descending terrain and the aircraft struck tundra, and a post-crash fire destroyed the fuselage. Five of the nine passengers died, and the pilot died in the crash.