Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Black River, Alaska 99588
Wednesday, August 12, 1992 14:28 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT SAID THAT WHILE ON HIS FIRST CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, HE OVER CORRECTED FOR THE CROSSWINDS AND BECAME DISORIENTED. HE FLEW INTO A VALLEY AND THE AIRPLANE CRASHED ON THE MOUNTAINSIDE WHEN IT WOULD NOT OUT CLIMB THE RISING TERRAIN. THE PILOT HAD A TOTAL OF 124 FLIGHT HOURS, OF WHICH ONLY 20 WERE IN ALASKA. ALL OTHER HOURS HAD BEEN FLOWN IN FLORIDA. HE HAD MADE NO FLIGHTS, EITHER DUAL OR SOLO, IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN SUCH AS THAT WHERE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER ALTITUDE TO CLEAR THE TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA, AND HIS LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OPERATION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/12/1992
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1428
Event Time Zone --
Event City BLACK RIVER
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99588
Event Date Year 1992
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 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 7000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 579
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 12 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1926
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47977
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:10PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6288S
NTSB Number ANC92LA130
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 150
Aircraft Series Identifier 150
Aircraft Serial Number 15067088
Certified Max Gross Weight 1650
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jul 22 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 80
Airframe Hours 6200
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MARY J. CANTRELL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3645 KNIK AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99517
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WALKER PREFLIGHT
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 5005 AIRCRAFT DRIVE
Operator City ANCHORAGE
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99502
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code GKN
Departure City GULKANA
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TKA
Destination City TALKEETNA
Destination State AK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
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 --