Dillingham Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Dillingham, Alaska 99576
Sunday, January 12, 1997 22:35 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot and a passenger were landing at night after making a cross-country flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a VFR flight plan was filed. The pilot reported he was demonstrating a VOR approach to the passenger. As the airplane touched down, the pilot noticed that a slight tail wind was present and the runway was slippery. He applied full power and executed a go-around. As the airplane began to climb, the pilot retracted the landing gear and flaps. He also began a slight left turn toward an unlit area of snow covered terrain. The airplane collided with the terrain and a tree, swerving the airplane to the right. The airplane came to rest in the snow with damage to the right wing, engine, propellers, and fuselage.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain sufficient altitude or clearance from terrain during a go-around. A factor related to the accident was: the dark, night condition.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/12/1997
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2235
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City DILLINGHAM
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99576
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DILLINGHAM
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DLG
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 360
Airport Elevation 86
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2247 Atlantic Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID DLG
Elevation of weather observation facility 86
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation AST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 6500
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
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 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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 674
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 12 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:05PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2491U
NTSB Number ANC97LA019
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 Piper
Aircraft Model PA-34
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-34
Aircraft Serial Number 34-7970447
Certified Max Gross Weight 4570
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 30 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 57
Airframe Hours 2274
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES F. KELLY
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 810
Aircraft Owner City DILLINGHAM
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99576
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 SDP
Departure City SAND POINT
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 2103
Departure Time Zone AST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code DLG
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Go-around (VFR)
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 1
Runway Length 6404
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --