Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tatitlek, Alaska 99677
Tuesady, April 9, 1991 10:00 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE PLTS OF ABT 50 FISH SPOTTING ACFT WERE FLYING IN THE VCNTY OF BOULDER BAY, CIRCLING & WAITING FOR OPENING OF HERRING FISHING. EACH SPOTTING PLT WAS TEAMED WITH ASSOCIATED FISHING VESSELS. THE SPOTTING PLTS WERE IN COMMUNICATION WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE FISHING VESSELS, BUT NOT WITH EACH OTHER. SUBSEQUENTLY, 2 OF THE ACFT (PIPER PA-18, N6966D & CESSNA 305A, N5193G) CONVERGED & COLLIDED. THE PA-18 PLT SAID THAT HE HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED IN LEVEL FLT FOR ABT 1 MI AT 1200' & 85 TO 88 KTS WHEN THE COLLISION OCCURRED. JUST BEFORE IMPACT, HE NOTED THE CESSNA 305 CONVERGING FROM HIS LEFT REAR QUARTER, SLIGHTLY LOW, & IN A SLIGHT LEFT BANK. AFTER IMPACT, THE CESSNA WENT OUT OF CONTROL & CRASHED ON MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE PA-18 SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO ITS FUSELAGE & FLOAT/STRUT SYS, BUT THE PLT WAS ABLE TO LAND SUCCESSFULLY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF BOTH PILOTS TO SEE-AND-AVOID EACH OTHER (INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT). A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: INADEQUATE COMMUNICATIONS AMONG ALL PARTICIPATING AIRCREWS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/9/1991
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1000
Event Time Zone --
Event City TATITLEK
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99677
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator Yes
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 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 4500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 474
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 9 1991 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1020
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44377
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 9:42AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N6966D N5193G
NTSB Number ANC91FA050A ANC91FA050B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None None
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Substantial Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None Ground
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER CESSNA
Aircraft Model PA-18-150 305A
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-18-150 305A
Aircraft Serial Number 18-5547 21997
Certified Max Gross Weight 1750 2100
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2 2
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Feb 26 1991 12:00AM --
Airframe hours since last inspection 7 --
Airframe Hours 5388 --
ELT Installed Yes Unknown
ELT Activated Yes No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No No
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES P. BLUE THOMAS M. PARKER
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 2708 BOX 2214
Aircraft Owner City HOMER CORDOVA
Aircraft Owner State AK AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99603 99574
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown 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) Unknown Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Unknown No
Departure Point Same as Event No No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City BOULDER BAY BOULDER BAY
Departure State AK AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 930 930
Departure Time Zone ADT ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 9:41AM Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 30 0
Runway Length 2200 --
Runway Width 50 --
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --