Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cathedral Rapid, Alaska 99776
Sunday, August 12, 1990 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER MISSING FOR 2 YEARS, THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND ON 8/21/92 AT THE 4,700-FT LEVEL OF A MOUNTAIN, ABOUT 200 FT BELOW A MOUNTAIN PASS. THE STUDENT PILOT AND PASSENGER HAD BEEN LOOKING FOR SHEEP HUNTING AREAS. SOME MOUNTAIN PEAKS IN THE AREA RISE TO HEIGHTS ABOVE 8,000 FT ASL. THE CRASH SITE WAS 23 NAUTICAL MILES EAST OF MOUNT KIMBALL WHICH IS 10,350 FT ASL. IMPACT DAMAGE WAS INDICATIVE OF A STALL/SPIN ACCIDENT. LOCAL PILOTS REPORTED VERY HIGH WINDS IN THE AREA ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT. TIME OF ACCIDENT IS PRESUMED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ALTITUDE ABOVE THE TERRAIN WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF AIRSPEED AND A STALL/SPIN WHILE MANEUVERING TO AVOID TERRAIN. THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, HIGH WINDS, AND HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE WERE FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/12/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1
Event Time Zone --
Event City CATHEDRAL RAPID
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99776
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
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
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 Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
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) --
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 829
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 14 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50000
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:14PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N92512
NTSB Number ANC90LA190
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-12
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-12
Aircraft Serial Number 12-35
Certified Max Gross Weight 1625
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 Feb 10 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1401
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ANDERSON, JOHN W.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P. O. BOX 190528
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99519
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RICHARD A. SELTENREICH
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address GRAY WOLF DRIVE
Operator City WASILLA
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99687
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 GKN
Departure City GULKANA
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TKJ
Destination City TOK
Destination State AK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --