Mekoryuk Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mekoryuk, Alaska 99630
Thursday, March 25, 1993 11:40 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PILOT-IN-COMMAND EXECUTED VFR STRAIGHT IN APPROACH FOLLOWING THE NDB/DME APPROACH COURSE. WHITEOUT CONDITIONS WERE ENCOUNTERED OVER SNOW COVERED FEATURELESS TERRAIN. VFR FLIGHT NOT RECOMMENDED BY FSS. THE AIRCRAFT FLEW INTO SLOPING TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 600 FEET BELOW, AND IN THE VICINITY OF, THE FINAL APPROACH FIX. PILOT RECALLED LOSING FORWARD VISIBILITY AND SAID HE WAS NOT REFERENCING THE APPROACH PLATE AT THE TIME OF THE GROUND COLLISION. THE PILOT WAS ADVISED THAT THE AWOS WEATHER OBSERVATION FOR THE DESTINATION CALLED FOR IFR CONDITIONS WITH VFR NOT RECOMMENDED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PILOT-IN-COMMAND INITIATED VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC CONDITIONS. A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE WHITEOUT WEATHER CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/25/1993
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1140
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City MEKORYUK
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99630
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 MEKORYUK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MYU
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 5
Degrees magnetic from airport 230
Airport Elevation 48
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1117 Atlantic Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 230
Weather Observation Facility ID MYU
Elevation of weather observation facility 48
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation AST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
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) -7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1555
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 25 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1430
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:11PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9102Y
NTSB Number ANC93LA048
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-31
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-31
Aircraft Serial Number 31-139
Certified Max Gross Weight 6500
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 8
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Mar 20 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 11
Airframe Hours 8576
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MISSIONARY AV & REPAIR CTR
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O.BOX 511
Aircraft Owner City SOLDOTNA
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99669
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MISSIONARY AVIATION REPAIR CTR
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 511
Operator City SOLDOTNA
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99669
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 HPR
Departure City HOOPER BAY
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1105
Departure Time Zone AST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 5
Runway Length 3010
Runway Width 90
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --