Juneau International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Juneau, Alaska 99901
Sunday, August 8, 1999 18:52 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot obtained a weather briefing prior to departing along a coastal route he had flown several times previously. The FAA FSS briefer advised that VFR flight was not recommended due to low visibility, clouds, and rain. The pilot contacted the destination airport control tower with a position report of five miles west of the Juneau International Airport. The controller responded that the airport was VFR, but conditions were lower to the west, and that two other airplanes to the west were unable to get in due to poor weather conditions. The pilot said he would try to reach the airport from another direction. About nine minutes later, the pilot radioed he was 'turning around.' Seconds later, the controller heard an ELT signal. The airplane wreckage was located about 500 feet msl on an island, about three miles south of the destination airport. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces. A postmortem toxicology test revealed Chlorpheniramine and Dextromethorphan in the pilot's blood and urine. Chlorpheniramine may be found in a number of over-the-counter cold remedies. The warning associated with this compound states, in part: 'Do not drive or operate machinery while taking this medicine as it may cause drowsiness.' Dextromethorphan is used as a cough suppressant.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions. Factors associated with the accident were mountainous/hilly terrain, low ceilings, the pilot's improper in-flight decision making, and the pilot's impairment from over-the-counter drugs.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/8/1999
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1852
Event Time Zone --
Event City JUNEAU
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99901
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport JUNEAU INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID JNU
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 3
Degrees magnetic from airport 180
Airport Elevation 19
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1853 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID PAJ
Elevation of weather observation facility 19
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1300
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 500
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) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1485
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 8 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2055
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 9:42AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N80229
NTSB Number ANC99FA108
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model A185F
Aircraft Series Identifier A185F
Aircraft Serial Number 18503105
Certified Max Gross Weight 3350
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 6 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 34
Airframe Hours 1831
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GLENN H. CAVE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2201 MEADOWLANE
Aircraft Owner City JUNEAU
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99801
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 HNS
Departure City HAINES
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1600
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code JNU
Destination City
Destination State AK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 12:27PM
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 --