Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cold Bay, Alaska 99571
Saturday, February 17, 1990 13:35 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE SCHEDULED FLIGHT'S DEPARTURE FROM KING COVE WAS DELAYED DUE TO A PASSING SNOW SQUALL. A WITNESS AT THE AIRPORT STATED THAT THE WEATHER AT THE AIRPORT WAS GOOD WHEN THE FLIGHT DEPARTED; HOWEVER, HE NOTED DARK CLOUDS IN THE DIRECTION OF COLD BAY, THE INTENDED DESTINATION OF THE FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE DID NOT REACH ITS DESTINATION. IT WAS FOUND, WHERE IT HAD IMPACTED TERRAIN NEAR THE TOP OF A RIDGELINE AT THE 1250 FOOT LEVEL, BETWEEN KING COVE & COLD BAY. ABOUT 8 MILES WEST-NORTHWEST AT COLD BAY, WEATHER REPORTS INDICATED THERE WERE SNOW SHOWERS OF UNKNOWN INTENSITY IN ALL QUADRANTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ALTITUDE (OR CLEARANCE) FROM MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE ADVERSE WEATHER AND TERRAIN CONDITIONS WERE RELATED FACTORS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/17/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1335
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City COLD BAY
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99571
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KVC
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 8
Degrees magnetic from airport 250
Airport Elevation 148
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1300 Atlantic Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 250
Weather Observation Facility ID CDB
Elevation of weather observation facility 98
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
Time Zone of the weather observation AST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
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) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
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) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Moderate
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 --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1045
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 17 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1530
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42264
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:46PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N27328
NTSB Number ANC90FA034
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-31-350
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-31-350
Aircraft Serial Number 31-7752149
Certified Max Gross Weight 7000
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 10
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Feb 13 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 12690
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PENINSULA AIRWAYS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4851 AIRCRAFT DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99502
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 PNSA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code KVC
Departure City KING COVE
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1330
Departure Time Zone AST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CDB
Destination City COLD BAY
Destination State AK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --