Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Nome, Alaska 99762
Saturday, March 2, 1996 13:30 AST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot and passenger departed a remote airstrip on a commuter flight in marginal VFR conditions. The pilot reported that he was crossing low hills about 1,000 feet AGL and encountered turbulence and a possible loss of engine power. The engine did not run rough but the airplane continued to descend until impact. The airplane struck a snow covered hill about 15 miles west of the destination airport. The passenger reported that the majority of the flight was conducted with limited downward visibility. Just prior to impact, the passenger reported white-out conditions, and no terrain was visible. The airplane received damage to the landing gear, fuselage, and wings. The pilot and passenger were rescued about 4 hours after the accident. The destination airport reported weather conditions that included a 1,300 feet overcast sky and a visibility of 10 miles in light snow. The operator reported no engine malfunction.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the pilot's continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions and his failure to maintain adequate altitude/clearance from terrain. Low ceilings and snow covered terrain were factors in the accident.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/2/1996 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1330 |
| Event Time Zone | Atlantic Standard Time |
| Event City | NOME |
| Event State | ALASKA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 99762 |
| Event Date Year | 1996 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| 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 | 1254 Atlantic Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 90 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | OME |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 37 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 15 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | AST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 1300 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Unknown |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 0 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -2 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 120 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 12 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Light |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 3 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Mar 2 1996 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1405 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 9:52AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N8374T |
| NTSB Number | ANC96LA027 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | PIPER |
| Aircraft Model | PA-32-301 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | PA-32-301 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 32-8106058 |
| 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 | 7 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Feb 9 1996 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 62 |
| Airframe Hours | 8077 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | GRANT AVIATION INC. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | P.O. BOX 89 |
| Aircraft Owner City | EMMONAK |
| Aircraft Owner State | AK |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 99581 |
| 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 | ENHA |
| 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 | AK54 |
| Departure City | TELLER |
| Departure State | AK |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1300 |
| Departure Time Zone | AST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | OME |
| Destination City | |
| 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 | -- |