Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Elim, Alaska 99739
Saturday, December 10, 1994 19:00 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE WAS ON A FLIGHT AT NIGHT FROM NOME TO KOYUK, AK, WHEN IT CRASHED INTO A MOUNTAIN AT THE 2725 FOOT LEVEL. THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS DIRECTLY ON A COURSE LINE BETWEEN THE NOME AND KOYUK AIRPORTS. THE CEILING AT NOME WAS 3500 OVERCAST AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE. ACCORDING TO RESCUE PERSONNEL, WEATHER AT THE ACCIDENT AREA WAS: INDEFINABLE CEILING AND POOR VISIBILITY WITH HEAVY SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW. THE PILOT HAD A HAND HELD GPS ON BOARD THAT HE HAD BARROWED FROM ANOTHER PILOT. BUT THE DATABASE COULD NOT BE RETRIEVED FROM THE GPS. ACCORDING TO THE OWNER OF THE GPS, HE AND THE ACCIDENT PILOT PROGRAMMED DIFFERENT WAYPOINTS. THE PILOT DID NOT FILE A VFR OR AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN WITH THE FAA.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

VFR FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE OR CLEARANCE FROM MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS AND THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/10/1994
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1900
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City ELIM
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99739
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1752 Atlantic Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 238
Weather Observation Facility ID OME
Elevation of weather observation facility 37
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 77
Time Zone of the weather observation AST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 19
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 5
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 5
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2000
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 10 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:43PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1238K
NTSB Number ANC95FA016
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 402C
Aircraft Series Identifier 402C
Aircraft Serial Number 402C1019
Certified Max Gross Weight 7190
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 10
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Dec 2 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 34
Airframe Hours 10722
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RYAN AIR SERVICE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5701 SILVERADO, UNIT L
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99502
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code UATA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code OME
Departure City NOME
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1827
Departure Time Zone AST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code KKA
Destination City KOYUK
Destination State AK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --