Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cantwell, Alaska 99729
Saturday, April 15, 1995 7:10 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND PASSENGER DEPARTED FOR A REMOTE AIRSTRIP TO TRANSPORT SUPPLIES TO A MINING/GRAVEL OPERATION. THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT CROSSED A HIGH MOUNTAIN PASS OVER GLACIER COVERED TERRAIN. THE PILOT OBTAINED A WEATHER OUTLOOK BRIEFING FROM THE FAA THE NIGHT BEFORE THE FLIGHT. HE DID NOT OBTAIN ANY UPDATED WEATHER INFORMATION ON THE DAY OF THE FLIGHT. THE AREA FORECAST INCLUDED MARGINAL VFR TO IFR CONDITIONS SPREADING INTO THE AREA OF THE ACCIDENT. IN ADDITION, AN AIRMET WAS ISSUED ON THE DAY OF THE FLIGHT FOR TURBULENCE NEAR MOUNTAINS. RESCUE PERSONNEL, ALERTED TO THE ACCIDENT BY THE AIRCRAFT'S ELT, COULD NOT INITIALLY REACH THE CRASH SITE DUE TO LOW CEILINGS AND LOW VISIBILITY IN LIGHT SNOW AND SEVERE TURBULENCE. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH RISING, SNOW COVERED TERRAIN ABOUT 6,000 FEET MSL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC CONDITIONS. WEATHER CONDITIONS CONSISTING OF LOW CEILINGS AND TURBULENCE WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/15/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 710
Event Time Zone --
Event City CANTWELL
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99729
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 4
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 Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 0
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 20
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 262
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 16 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:11PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N115F
NTSB Number ANC95FA044
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 180B
Aircraft Series Identifier 180B
Aircraft Serial Number 50495
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 27 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 452
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN K. BLOSBERG
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2212 GLACIER ESTATES #201
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99508
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
Owner has at least one certificate None
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code TKA
Departure City TALKEETNA
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 620
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 5Z5
Destination City KANTISHNA
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 --