Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Karluk, Alaska 99608
Wednesday, October 20, 1993 11:15 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE CIRCLED THE LANDING AREA ON A BEACH TWICE TO DETERMINE THE WIND AND SUITABILITY OF THE AREA. DURING THE FINAL STAGE OF THE LANDING FLARE (ABOUT TWO FEET ABOVE THE GROUND), HE HEARD A LOUD THUMP OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRPLANE. HE INTIATED A GO-AROUND AND OBSERVED A DENT IN THE OUTBOARD SECTION OF THE RIGHT WING. HE ELECTED TO LAND AT KING SALMON. AFTER LANDING, AN EIGHT INCH CIRCULAR GASH WAS FOUND IN THE LEADING EDGE OF THE RIGHT WING IN THE AREA OF THE OUTBOARD SPAR. A SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION OF THE BEECH AREA WAS MADE BY COMPANY PERSONNEL, BUT THEY COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE OBJECT THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD HIT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/20/1993
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1115
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City KARLUK
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99608
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 10
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 Pilot
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 4500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Overcast
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1193
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 20 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1445
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:41PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4327P
NTSB Number ANC94LA013
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32-301
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32-301
Aircraft Serial Number 32-8406002
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 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Oct 4 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 65
Airframe Hours 5637
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PENINSULA AIRWAYS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6231 COLLINS WAY
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99502
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code PNSA
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 AKN
Departure City KING SALMON
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1030
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 Landing
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 --