Porcupine River Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Porcupine Lodge, Alaska
Wednesday, December 21, 1988 13:40 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCRAFT WAS TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF ON THE FROZEN PORCUPINE RIVER IN RURAL ALASKA WHEN THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR BROKE THROUGH THE RIVER ICE, ALLOWING THE RIGHT WING TO STRIKE THE ICE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD LANDED ON THE RIVER NEAR THE PORCUPINE LODGE AT A SITE THAT HAD BEEN DESIGNATED BY THE OPERATOR OF THE LODGE AS A LANDING SITE. HE EXPERIENCED NO PROBLEMS DURING THE LANDING, AND ASSUMED THAT THE ICE WAS THICK ENOUGH TO SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF HIS AIRPLANE. DURING THE TAXI DOWNSTREAM FOR TAKEOFF, THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR TIRE AND SKI BROKE THROUGH THE ICE INTO APPROXIMATELY FOUR FEET OF WATER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/21/1988
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1340
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City PORCUPINE LODGE
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PORCUPINE RIVER
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
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 Pilot
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 4000
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) 35
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
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) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1290
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 21 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1630
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37386
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:21PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N70087
NTSB Number ANC89LA026
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 185
Aircraft Series Identifier 185
Aircraft Serial Number 18501953
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 5 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 4342
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DOWDING, ROGER D
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2293 WALRUS CT
Aircraft Owner City NORTH POLE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99705
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name YUKON AIR SERVICE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 111
Operator City FT. YUKON
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99740
Operator Code UNKC
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 Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City FORT YUKON
Destination State AK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi
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 --