Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Atigun Pass, Alaska 99701
Wednesday, August 4, 1993 14:38 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE PASS AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE WEATHER IN THE PASS WAS VERY POOR. HE STATED HE WOULD GO TAKE A LOOK. THE PASS MAKES AN 'S' TURN AT THE TOP IN LESS THAN 1 MILE OF DISTANCE. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN NEAR THE MIDDLE OF THE 'S' TURN. WEATHER REPORTED BY ANOTHER PILOT 15 TO 20 MINUTES EARLIER INDICATED THE PASS WAS CLOSED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S INTENTIONAL VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND HIS UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE GEOGRAPHICAL AREA. FACTORS WERE THE RAIN AND FOG.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/4/1993
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1438
Event Time Zone --
Event City ATIGUN PASS
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99701
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 8
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 Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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) 2061
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 4 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:32PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N477JC
NTSB Number ANC93FA134
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 Unknown
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32R-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32R-300
Aircraft Serial Number 32R-7680469
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jul 22 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 6819
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ATHABASCAN AIR GROUP
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 60713
Aircraft Owner City FAIRBANKS
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99709
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name YUTANA AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 69
Operator City TANANA
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99777
Operator Code YADA
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code GBH
Departure City GALBRAITH LAKE
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1415
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BTT
Destination City BETTLES
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 --