Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hulahula River, Alaska 99740
Sunday, August 29, 1993 17:25 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT COMMUNICATED THAT THE WEATHER IN THE MOUNTAIN PASS AHEAD DID NOT LOOK FAVORABLE AND WOULD RETURN TO THE REMOTE CAMP IF UNABLE TO MAKE IT THROUGH. A WITNESS REPORTED THE HIGH TERRAIN WAS OBSCURED IN CLOUDS. SEARCH AIRCRAFT LOCATED WRECKAGE NEAR 7000 FOOT LEVEL OF TOP OF PASS IN A 20 DEGREE UPSLOPING RAVINE. A POST CRASH FIRE DESTROYED THE AIRCRAFT. THE WRECKAGE WAS NOT RECOVERED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S ATTEMPTED VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC CONDITIONS. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE HIGH TERRAIN AND THE OBSCURATION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/29/1993
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1725
Event Time Zone --
Event City HULAHULA RIVER
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99740
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 1700 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 120
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 2500
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 50
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 7000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
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 Unknown
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) 2064
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 6 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:33PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Unknown
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N70087
NTSB Number ANC93LA170
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion Unknown
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 185
Aircraft Series Identifier 185
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight 3350
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 Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROGER D. DOWDING
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2293 WALRUS COURT
Aircraft Owner City NORTH POLE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99705
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DOWDING, ROGER D.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2293 WALRUS COURT
Operator City NORTH POLE
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99705
Operator Code UKNC
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City COLLEEN RIVER
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1600
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
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 --