Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Talkeetna, Alaska 99676
Sunday, September 2, 1990 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A WX BRIEFING THE PILOT WAS ADVISED THAT VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED, PASSES WERE CLOSED, AND THAT TWO PILOT REPORTS INDICATED CLOUDS WERE TO THE GROUND NEAR A PASS. THE PILOT SUBSEQUENTLY CONTACTED ANCHORAGE APPROACH CONTROL STATING HE WAS 73 MI NORTH OF ANCHORAGE, LANDING, AND REQUESTED TRAFFIC SEPARATION AND RADAR VECTORS. APPROACH REPLIED THAT THE PILOT WAS TOO FAR NORTH FOR COVERAGE, AND TO MAINTAIN VFR CONDITIONS. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED AT THE 4,000-FT LEVEL OF A 4,500-FT HIGH RIDGE/MOUNTAIN, IN AN AREA NEAR WHERE THE MINIMUM ENROUTE ALTITUDE (MEA), OR MINIMUM OBSTRUCTION ALTITUDE (MOCA), CHANGE FROM 10,000 FT TO 7,500 FT SOUTHBOUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ALTITUDE FOR TERRAIN CLEARANCE. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, AND THE DARK NIGHT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/2/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1
Event Time Zone --
Event City TALKEETNA
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99676
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 9
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 Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2300 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 257
Weather Observation Facility ID TKA
Elevation of weather observation facility 358
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 6000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
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 5
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 5
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1868
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 4 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43765
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:20PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8646Z
NTSB Number ANC90FA164
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 None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model P206C
Aircraft Series Identifier P206C
Aircraft Serial Number P206-0446
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 Sep 15 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 241
Airframe Hours 8751
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MONTE R. MERRILL
Aircraft Owner Street Address P. O. BOX 630
Aircraft Owner City KOTZEBUE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99752
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code GAL
Departure City GALENA
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1945
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 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 --