Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Nome, Alaska 99762
Thursday, May 14, 1998 15:25 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The certificated airline transport pilot, and nine passengers departed on a scheduled VFR commuter flight for a destination about 160 miles south of the departure airport. The terminal forecast for the destination airport, located in Class E airspace, was indicating a visibility greater than six miles, with scattered clouds at 2,500 feet. Temporary conditions included a visibility of five miles in light rain and snow, with broken clouds at 2,000 feet. While enroute, an obscured ceiling began to lower, and the pilot said he descended to 1,000 feet msl. The pilot said the visibility decreased to between three to four miles, and he began to follow a road toward the destination. About six miles north of the destination, the pilot obtained an airport advisory. The weather conditions at the destination airport were one mile visibility in light snow and mist, and a ceiling of 1,000 feet broken. The pilot requested a Special VFR clearance. As the in-flight visibility decreased to 1 mile, the pilot said he decided to begin a right turn back to an area of better visibility. During the turn, he said he entered white-out conditions. He leveled the wings of the airplane, and applied engine power to begin a climb. The airplane then collided with snow covered terrain, about 850 feet msl. The location of the accident is about 1 mile north of the Class E airspace.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions. Factors in the accident were low ceilings, whiteout conditions, and snow covered terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/14/1998
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1525
Event Time Zone --
Event City NOME
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99762
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 5
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 1511 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 215
Weather Observation Facility ID OME
Elevation of weather observation facility 37
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1000
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) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 17
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 6
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 7
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 867
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 14 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:16AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N192AV
NTSB Number ANC98FA046
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
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 208
Aircraft Series Identifier 208
Aircraft Serial Number 20800215
Certified Max Gross Weight 8000
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 10
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Apr 30 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 81
Airframe Hours 5574
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CESSNA FINANCE CORP
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 308
Aircraft Owner City WICHITA
Aircraft Owner State KS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 67201
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BAKER AVIATION INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 708
Operator City KOTZEBUE
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99752
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 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 OTZ
Departure City KOTZEBUE
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1402
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code OME
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 --