Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ketchikan, Alaska 99901
Tuesady, September 29, 1998 12:45 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Prior to departing on a VFR cross-country flight along a planned coastal route, the private pilot obtained a weather briefing. The weather conditions along the route, which the pilot had flown several times, consisted of low ceilings and low visibility in rain and mist. AIRMETs were in effect for IFR conditions, mountain obscuration, turbulence, and low level wind shear. After departure, no distress communication was received from the pilot, and the airplane did not arrive at its destination. A search for the airplane in the U.S. and Canada was unsuccessful until four days after departure. The airplane was located about 900 feet msl on an island, 9 miles south of the departure airport. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and a postcrash fire.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing factors were low ceilings and mountainous/hilly terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/29/1998
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1245
Event Time Zone --
Event City KETCHIKAN
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99901
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 9
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1153 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 113
Weather Observation Facility ID PAK
Elevation of weather observation facility 88
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 600
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 156
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
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 Moderate
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1356
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 3 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:45AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4820U
NTSB Number ANC98FA168
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model TU-206G
Aircraft Series Identifier TU-206G
Aircraft Serial Number 206-05116
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NORMAN SWANSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1406 ROCKWOOD
Aircraft Owner City SPOKANE
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99203
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROBERT E. HAMILTON
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3243 AIRPORT DR.
Operator City TORRANCE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 90505
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code KTN
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1226
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BLI
Destination City BELLINGHAM
Destination State WA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Unknown
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 --