Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Dillingham, Alaska 99576
Thursday, July 30, 1992 11:00 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE DESTINATION CAMP IS LOCATED ABOUT 50 MI SW OF THE DEPARTURE LODGE, AND IS SEPARATED BY MOUNTAINS WITH SOME PEAKS OVER 4,000 FT ASL. THE GENERAL AREA WEATHER INCLUDED LOW CEILINGS. THE OPERATOR STATED THAT SHORTLY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT HE OBSERVED THE YOUTH CREEK WEATHER 'BETTER THAN 400 FEET...', AND TOLD THE PILOT THAT IT APPEARED GOOD ENOUGH TO MAKE THE FLIGHT. THE PILOT STATED THAT AS HE FLEW UP YOUTH CREEK HE COULD SEE THAT THE PASS WAS CLOSED BY LOW CLOUDS AND ATTEMPTED TO REVERSE DIRECTION. THE PILOT STATED HE 'MADE A HARD STEEP TURN, AND THE AIRPLANE STALLED...' THE PILOT SAID THE WEATHER WAS ABOUT 800 FT CEILING AND VISIBILITY OF 1 MI. WHEN THE PILOT WAS ADMITTED INTO THE HOSPITAL IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT, HE WAS DIAGNOSED AS HAVING AN INSULIN DEPENDENT DIABETIC CONDITION. HIS MEDICAL RECORDS CONTAIN NO EVIDENCE OF, AND THE PILOT DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE OF, ANY PRE-ACCIDENT DIABETIC CONDITION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S DELAYED DECISION IN REVERSING COURSE AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED DURING THE MANEUVER. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AND A LOW CEILING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/30/1992
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1100
Event Time Zone --
Event City DILLINGHAM
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99576
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 7
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 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 800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
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) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
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 6
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 7
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 842
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 30 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 48361
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:03PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N67151
NTSB Number ANC92FA116
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name DE HAVILLAND
Aircraft Model DHC-2 MARK 1
Aircraft Series Identifier DHC-2 MARK
Aircraft Serial Number 900
Certified Max Gross Weight 5090
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 8
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 1 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 125
Airframe Hours 7892
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RONALD R. MCMILLIAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address ROUTE 1, BOX 580
Aircraft Owner City ELLENSBURG
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98926
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RONALD R. MCMILLIAN
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P. O. BOX 1509
Operator City DILLINGHAM
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99576
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City BRISTOL BAY LDG
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1045
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City TOGIAK RIVER CP
Destination State AK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --