N7635KPiper PA-20 · 1950

On June 18, 2026, at approximately 1200, an experimental Piper PA-20 airplane, N7635K, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident about 44 miles southeast of Cordova, Alaska. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

According to a close family member, the pilot departed Brownsville Airpark (2CL1), Brownsville, California on the afternoon of June 15 and was en route to Fairbanks, Alaska where he was relocating with his girlfriend to pursue a job as a bush pilot after taking a year off from flying.

According to witnesses, the pilot arrived at Yakutat Airport (YAK) Yakutat, Alaska on the afternoon of June 17; upon arriving, the pilot was told that there was no 100LL aviation fuel available. The fuel in YAK had been NOTAM’d as unavailable since September 2025. A family member confirmed that the pilot had three 5-gallon fuel jugs installed in the back of the airplane and a fuel valve which distributed fuel from the fuel jugs into the airplane’s fuel system. The family member reported that the pilot purchased about 45 gallons of automotive gas from the local gas station on June 17. Witnesses stated that the pilot departed YAK on the afternoon of June 17; however, the pilot returned to YAK a short time after departure because “ceilings too low and tops too high.” According to the family member the pilot spent the night in Yakutat and on the morning of June 18 he purchased another 15 gallons of automotive gas from the local gas station.

A review of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) archived audio files revealed that the airplane departed YAK on June 18, about 1028. At the time of departure visual meteorological conditions (VMC) existed at YAK, ceilings were few at 5,500 ft and overcast at 7,500 ft with 10 miles visibility and light rain.

The airplane was believed to be enroute to Cordova; however, there was no flight plan filed and no other communication was reported between the pilot and JNU FSS or any other air traffic control facility. Instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) existed at CDV at the time of departure on June 18, and the forecast for CDV from June 18 at 1000 to June 19 at 1000 called for 6 miles visibility, mist, ceilings broken at 600 ft, and temporarily on June 18 between 1000 and 1300, local conditions were forecast to be 4 miles visibility with light drizzle, mist and ceilings at 600 ft.

Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast (ADS-B) data did not capture the airplane’s route of flight on the day of the accident.

The airplane was reported overdue to the Juneau Flight Service Station at about 1910 on June 18, by a concerned relative. The airplane wreckage was discovered at about 1530 on June 19 by the Alaska Army National Guard. The airplane impacted steep, mountainous terrain about 44 miles southeast of Cordova, at an elevation of about 1190 ft msl. A postcrash fire incinerated much of the wreckage.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge responded to the accident site and examined the wreckage on June 25. The examination was delayed due to adverse weather conditions at the accident site.

The right wing remained attached to the fuselage, the left wing was separated and was located with the main wreckage; it was completely destroyed by the postcrash fire. Control cable continuity was established between the control surfaces and the fuselage on both wings. During recovery efforts the fuselage tubular frame and control cables to the tail were cut; as a result, the tail section became separated and was located about 30 feet downhill from the fuselage. The rudder, tailwheel and empennage were observed to be intact, the fabric on the empennage was consumed during the post-crash fire.

The Lycoming O-320 series engine was observed to be embedded in the soft terrain and was found with the main wreckage. The propeller appeared to be connected at the flange and one of the two blades was observed to have an “S” curve; the second propeller blade and left side of the engine were not observed because they were deeply embedded in the soft terrain.

The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single engine land (ASEL), airplane multiengine land (AMEL) and instrument airplane. According to FAA records, the pilot’s certificate was suspended on June 4, 2025, because of multiple enforcement actions. Furthermore, he reported 1,300 total hours of civilian flight experience and 100 hours in the last six months as of his last medical exam, which was performed on March 2, 2023. The pilot was issued a first class medical without limitations. The pilot’s most recent valid medical certificate expired in March 2025.

The pilot reported that he made a wheel landing at Grass Valley's runway 25. He dropped the tail and started to apply the brakes when his right foot slipped off the rudder pedal, he was wearing cowboy boots. The plane veered left and he applied full left brake to avoid nosing into a drainage ditch head first. During this turn the tail wheel struck a boulder and the right wing tipped down and struck the ground.

The pilot stated that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.