Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Whittier, Alaska 99693
Friday, August 21, 1992 18:30 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AS THE PILOT APPROACHED A PASS, HE FOUND IT CLOSED BY LOW CLOUDS. HE TURNED TO REVERSE DIRECTION, THEN STARTED A CLIMB THROUGH A HOLE IN THE CLOUDS. HE STATED THAT THE HOLE SUDDENLY CLOSED AND HE WAS IN THE CLOUDS. HE AGAIN TURNED TO ATTEMPT TO RETURN TO VFR CONDITIONS. SUDDENLY HE SAW A MOUNTAIN TO HIS FRONT AND THEN IMPACTED BEFORE HE COULD TURN AWAY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION, AND HIS INADVERTENT VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC WEATHER CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE WITH THIS TYPE OPERATION, AND THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/21/1992
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1830
Event Time Zone --
Event City WHITTIER
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99693
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1851 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID AK66
Elevation of weather observation facility 30
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
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) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 6026
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 21 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2230
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47974
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:10PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number CGVJM
NTSB Number ANC92LA138
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-F
Aircraft Series Identifier 150-F
Aircraft Serial Number 150-63474
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Foreign 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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 11 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 98
Airframe Hours 5027
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EDWARD R. NESS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 172 FINCH ROAD
Aircraft Owner City CAMPBELL RIVER
Aircraft Owner State CD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode V9W 5T7
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name EDWARD R. NESS
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 172 FINCH ROAD
Operator City CAMPBELL RIVER
Operator State CD
Operator Country
Operator Zip code V9W 5T7
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 CKU
Departure City CORDOVA
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1730
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ANC
Destination City ANCHORAGE
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 --