Sitka Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sitka, Alaska 99835
Tuesady, August 28, 1990 12:16 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING AND FILED AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN FROM SITKA TO ANCHORAGE, ALASKA. DURING TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 11 AT SITKA, HE PROVIDED A PIREP TO THE FLIGHT SERVICE STATION, SAYING THAT HE HAD ENTERED THE CLOUD BASES AT 700 FT MSL. WHILE DEPARTING, A LEFT TURN WAS MADE, AND THE AIRPLANE CRASHED ON MOUNT VERSTOVIA AT THE 1420 FT LEVEL, APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES EAST OF THE AIRPORT. AN ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE AIRPLANE STRUCK WOODED TERRAIN WHILE CLIMBING ON A HEADING OF 359 DEG. SEVERAL TREE LIMBS HAD BEEN CLEAN CUT (BY THE PROPELLERS); WRECKAGE WAS SPREAD OVER A 516 FT AREA. A STANDARD INSTRUMENT DEPARTURE (SITKA 5 SID) WAS AVAILABLE WHICH WOULD HAVE PROVIDED TERRAIN CLEARANCE WITH A RIGHT TURN-OUT FROM RUNWAY 11 TO AN INITIAL CLIMB HEADING OF 280 DEG.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, AND HIS FAILURE TO FOLLOW IFR PROCEDURES AND MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/28/1990
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1216
Event Time Zone --
Event City SITKA
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99835
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SITKA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SIT
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 60
Airport Elevation 21
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1220 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID SIT
Elevation of weather observation facility 21
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
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) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 753
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 28 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1230
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41791
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:14PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8180K
NTSB Number ANC90FA158
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 414
Aircraft Series Identifier 414
Aircraft Serial Number 4140080
Certified Max Gross Weight 6350
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 20 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 9
Airframe Hours 2867
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STEWART CLARK SALE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 22424 POPLAR COURT
Aircraft Owner City MURRIETA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92362
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code SIT
Departure City SITKA
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1213
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ANC
Destination City ANCHORAGE
Destination State AK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
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 11
Runway Length 6500
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --