Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ketchikan, Alaska 99901
Wednesday, May 19, 1993 14:07 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT IN COMMAND REPORTED THAT WHILE IN A CLIMBING RIGHT TURN AT 400 FEET MSL HE ENCOUNTERED A SEVERE DOWNDRAFT WHICH HE COULD NOT ARREST DESPITE THE APPLICATION OF FULL POWER. A COMMERCIAL PILOT WHO DEPARTED ALONG THE SAME ROUTE AS THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT 15 MINUTES AFTER THE OCCURRENCE REPORTED THAT THE AIR WAS STABLE AND THAT NO DOWNDRAFTS WERE ENCOUNTERED. ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT, THE FLIGHT SERVICE STATION (FSS) IN KETCHIKAN DID NOT RECEIVE ANY PILOT REPORTS OF SEVERE DOWNDRAFTS IN THE KETCHIKAN BAY AREA.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT IN COMMANDS IMPROPER COMPENSATION FOR THE WIND CONDITION. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE UNFAVORABLE WIND.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/19/1993
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1407
Event Time Zone --
Event City KETCHIKAN
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99901
Event Date Year 1993
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1348 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID KTN
Elevation of weather observation facility 88
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
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) 33
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
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) 802
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 19 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1505
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:17PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8237V
NTSB Number ANC93LA066
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 180H
Aircraft Series Identifier 180H
Aircraft Serial Number 18051739
Certified Max Gross Weight 2870
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 May 22 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 161
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SHEROD, WILLIAM N.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3431 NW62
Aircraft Owner City SEATTLE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98107
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SHEROD, WILLIAM N.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 3431 NW62
Operator City SEATTLE
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 98107
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 5KE
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City LAKE MCDONALD
Destination State AK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
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 --