Telida Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Telida, Alaska 99695
Monday, September 16, 1991 13:45 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED THAT BECAUSE OF STRONGER THAN ANTICIPATED ENROUTE WINDS, HE BECAME DISORIENTED. HE RADIOED THE FSS THAT HE WAS DISORIENTED AND LOW ON FUEL, AND REQUESTED ADF STEER TO AN AIRPORT. HE WAS MISTAKENLY GIVEN A HEADING THAT TOOK HIM FURTHER AWAY FROM HIS DESTINATION RATHER THAN TOWARDS IT. DESPITE NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS, THE FSS SPECIALIST WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT THE PILOT AGAIN TO CORRECT THE ERROR. ABOUT 43 MINUTES LATER, WITH HIS FUEL ALMOST EXHAUSTED, HE LANDED AT A SMALL AIRSTRIP ABOUT 70 MILES NORTHEAST OF HIS DESTINATION. DURING LANDING, HE EXPERIENCED AN ESTIMATED 35 KNOT CROSSWIND, LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, AND GROUND LOOPED THE AIRPLANE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT GETTING DISORIENTED DURING FLIGHT DUE TO HIS INATTENTIVENESS, THE AIRPLANE'S LOW FUEL LEVEL, THE FSS SPECIALIST'S GIVING THE PILOT AN INCORRECT HEADING TO FLY, POOR RADIO COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE FSS AND THE PILOT, THE STRONG CROSSWIND, AND THE AIRPLANE'S LANDING PERFORMANCE CAPABILITY BEING EXCEEDED.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/16/1991
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1345
Event Time Zone --
Event City TELIDA
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99695
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TELIDA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID AK52
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 650
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 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 30
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 40
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1844
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45722
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:43AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9640B
NTSB Number ANC91LA148
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 180
Aircraft Series Identifier 180
Aircraft Serial Number 32937
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 7 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 14
Airframe Hours 3520
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PATRICK S. TWOHY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4243 PARKER
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99508
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PATRICK S. TWOHY
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 4243 PARKER
Operator City ANCHORAGE
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99508
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 DCK
Departure City DAHL CREEK
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MCG
Destination City MCGRATH
Destination State AK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 3
Runway Length 1100
Runway Width 30
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --