Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Whittier, Alaska 99693
Friday, June 28, 1991 10:10 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLIGHT DEPARTED MERRILL FIELD FOR A SIGHTSEEING TRIP. THE FLIGHT WAS NEAR SURPRISE GLACIER AND MANEUVERING AT 2,400 FEET ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL, BUT VERY CLOSE TO THE TERRAIN. THE PILOT STATED THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND HE DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT ROOM IN WHICH TO RECOVER. THE AIRPLANE LANDED ACROSS THE FACE OF THE MOUNTAIN, BELOW THE GLACIER, SLID TO A STOP, AND THEN CAUGHT FIRE. THE PILOT STATED THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL DIFFICULTIES WITH THE AIRPLANE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER FLYING SPEED.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/28/1991
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1010
Event Time Zone --
Event City WHITTIER
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99693
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 6
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 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 3000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 739
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44711
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:16AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4362V
NTSB Number ANC91LA081
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 None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-161
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-161
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8416096
Certified Max Gross Weight 2440
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 27 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 4307
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ULMER INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1704 E. 5TH AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99501
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ULMER INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 8391 PIONEER DRIVE
Operator City ANCHORAGE
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99504
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 MRI
Departure City ANCHORAGE
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 900
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --