Kotzebue Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kotzebue, Alaska 99752
Saturday, April 4, 1992 9:36 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING THE IFR APPROACH TO THE AIRPORT, THE FLIGHT HAD BEEN CLEARED FOR THE ILS/DME FOR RUNWAY 8. THE PILOT PERFORMED THE PUBLISHED PROCEDURE TURN AND WAS ESTABLISHED ON THE LOCALIZER AND GLIDE SLOPE AT ABOUT 5.5 MILES DME. THE FLIGHT CONTINUED THE DESCENT AS THE PILOT COMPLETED THE BEFORE LANDING CHECKLIST. AT ABOUT 5 MILES DME, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO CALL THE FSS TO REPORT FINAL APPROACH FIX INBOUND, HOWEVER, HE HAD TO WAIT FOR ANOTHER AIRPLANE TRANSMITTING. THE PILOT THEN CONTACTED THE FSS AND REPORTED 4.5 MILES DME. SHORTLY AFTER THE RADIO CALL, THE PILOT FELT THE AIRPLANE CONTACT THE GROUND. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HIS LAST INSTRUMENT SCAN THAT HE COULD REMEMBER SHOWED THAT HE WAS ON THE GLIDE PATH AND LOCALIZER AT AN ALTITUDE OF 1,250 FEET. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE VISIBILITY WAS ABOUT 100 YARDS AND BLOWING SNOW.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PILOT FACTOR IN THAT THE PROPER GLIDEPATH AND ALTITUDE WAS NOT MAINTAINED. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: INATTENTIVENESS AND SNOW.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/4/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 936
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City KOTZEBUE
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99752
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport KOTZEBUE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID OTZ
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 4
Degrees magnetic from airport 260
Airport Elevation 11
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 935 Atlantic Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 260
Weather Observation Facility ID OTZ
Elevation of weather observation facility 11
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
Time Zone of the weather observation AST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 2400
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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) 2634
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47423
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3555C
NTSB Number ANC92LA058
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-31-350
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-31-350
Aircraft Serial Number 31-8052058
Certified Max Gross Weight 7000
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 9
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Apr 3 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 8
Airframe Hours 3989
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name POINEER AVIATION INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 92092
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99509
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FRONTIER FLYING SERVICE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3820 UNIVERSITY AVE
Operator City FAIRBANKS
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99709
Operator Code FFSA
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 Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code FAI
Departure City FAIRBANKS
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 720
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 8
Runway Length 5900
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --