Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Iliamna, Alaska 99606
Sunday, March 7, 1993 11:30 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) RESTRICTED PRIVATE PILOT STATED THAT HE DEPARTED THE AIRPORT IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WITH THE INTENT OF MAINTAINING VISUAL REFERENCE WITH THE GROUND BY RELYING ON PROMINENT GROUND FEATURES. ONCE ALOFT, HE REALIZED THAT THERE WERE NO PROMINENT GROUND REFERENCE FEATURES ALONG THE SHORELINE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE FLEW INTO WHITEOUT CONDITIONS AND BECAME ENGROSSED IN TRYING TO FIND THE GROUND RATHER THAN FLYING THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT FURTHER STATED THAT HE BECAME SPATIALLY DISORIENTED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PERFORM A 180 DEGREE TURN MANEUVER AND THAT THE AIRPLANE CRASHED IN AN INVERTED ATTITUDE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT IN COMMANDS ATTEMPT TO CONDUCT A VISUAL FLIGHT DURING INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE EMERGENCY 180 DEGREE TURN MANEUVER TO REVERSE DIRECTION. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE SNOW AND WHITEOUT CONDITION AND THE PILOT IN COMMANDS LIMITED EXPERIENCE IN PERFORMING 180 TURNS SOLELY BY REFERENCE TO THE PLANE'S BASIC COCKPIT INSTRUMENTATION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/7/1993
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City ILIAMNA
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99606
Event Date Year 1993
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1155 Atlantic Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 225
Weather Observation Facility ID ILI
Elevation of weather observation facility 207
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation AST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
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) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 24
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 407
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 7 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1330
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50817
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:10PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N67559
NTSB Number ANC93LA040
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-22
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-22
Aircraft Serial Number 226480
Certified Max Gross Weight 1950
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 3 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 170
Airframe Hours 2725
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHENA VALLEY BAHAI ASSEMBLY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1186 NANCY STREET
Aircraft Owner City NORTH POLE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99705
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BAUMGARTNER, ROBERT G.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 1138
Operator City DILLINGHAM
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99576
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1115
Departure Time Zone AST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DLG
Destination City DILLINGHAM
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 --