Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mc Carthy, Alaska 99588
Tuesady, July 30, 1996 13:30 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The air taxi pilot related he was flying a company airplane on a personal flight in a mountain pass when the weather began to deteriorate. This was the pilot's third flight of the day in the same pass. He said he turned the airplane around in an attempt to exit the pass, but the clouds had lowered and he could no longer see the exit to the pass. He elected to make a precautionary landing on the tundra in lieu of attempting to continue the flight through the pass. The main landing gear separated from the airplane during the landing.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate weather evaluation, and his inadvertent flight into instrument meteorological conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/30/1996
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone --
Event City MC CARTHY
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99588
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 7
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 Pilot
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 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
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) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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) 1057
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 30 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1722
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:11AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1746C
NTSB Number ANC96LA110
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 180
Aircraft Series Identifier 180
Aircraft Serial Number 30446
Certified Max Gross Weight 2950
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jun 15 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 70
Airframe Hours 5400
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MICHAEL P. MC CARTHY
Aircraft Owner Street Address #4, BOX MXY
Aircraft Owner City GLENNALLEN
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99588
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 S7LC
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1310
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City WHITE RIVER
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 --