Scammon Bay Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Scammon Bay, Alaska 99662
Friday, December 4, 1992 15:40 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE MANEUVERING IN PREPARATION FOR LANDING, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED WHITEOUT SNOW AND FOG CONDITIONS, AND ALLOWED THE AIRPLANE TO DESCEND AND STRIKE THE SNOW COVERED GROUND. THE AIRPLANE REMAINED AIRBORNE AND RETURNED AND LANDED AT ITS POINT OF DEPARTURE WITHOUT ANY ADDITIONAL SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOTS VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC CONDITIONS, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE WHILE MANEUVERING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE WHITEOUT SNOW AND FOG CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/4/1992
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1540
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City SCAMMON BAY
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99662
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SCAMMON BAY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SCM
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 360
Airport Elevation 22
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
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 100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
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) -26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
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 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 7
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 919
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 4 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1755
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50051
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:29PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8374T
NTSB Number ANC93LA019
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
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 32-8106058
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 7
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Sep 18 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 67
Airframe Hours 3936
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MARK HICKEL
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 88
Aircraft Owner City EMMONAK
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99581
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MARK HICKEL
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address BOX 88
Operator City EMMONAK
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99581
Operator Code ENHC
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ENM
Departure City EMMONAK
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1422
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 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 1
Runway Length 2550
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --