Ralph Wein Memorial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kotzebue, Alaska 99752
Saturday, January 27, 1996 12:30 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot said that while taxiing from landing, as he was making a right turn into the ramp area, the wind lifted the right wing causing the left wing and propeller to strike the ground. The taxi surface was hard-packed snow and ice, and braking action was poor. The 1251 wind was reported as 35 knots with gusts to 41. The Director of Operations (D.O.) stated that the flight went through the normal flight following/dispatch procedures. The D.O. said there were no written company standards addressed when flights should be cancelled due to excessive surface wind velocity. In addition, the D.O. indicated that the primary responsibility for determining if the winds/weather were suitable for the flight to be conducted rested with the pilot-in-command.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's poor judgment in conducting the flight in the existing high gusting wind conditions. A factor associated with the accident was the operator allowing/dispatching the accident flight in the prevailing weather conditions, and the icy ramp/taxi area.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/27/1996
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City KOTZEBUE
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99752
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport RALPH WEIN MEMORIAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID OTZ
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 11
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1251 Atlantic Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID OTZ
Elevation of weather observation facility 11
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation AST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 35
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 41
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 27 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1537
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 9:45AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5293X
NTSB Number ANC96LA025
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 206
Aircraft Series Identifier 206
Aircraft Serial Number U20605612
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Jan 26 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 9428
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BAKER AVIATION INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 708
Aircraft Owner City KOTZEBUE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99752
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 BAJA
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ORV
Departure City NOORVIK
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1209
Departure Time Zone AST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code OTZ
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi
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 --