Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pelican, Alaska 99832
Wednesday, April 19, 1989 13:15 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DRG A FLT FROM JUNEAU TO PELICAN, AK, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN APRX 12 MI EAST OF PELICAN WHILE CROSSING OVER CHICHAGOF ISLAND. IMPACT OCCURRED ON A VERTICAL ROCK WALL AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 1950 FT. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT WAS EVIDENT. ANOTHER PLT, WHO HAD PLANNED TO FLY THE SAME ROUTE ABOUT 1 HR & 45 MIN EARLIER, DECIDED TO FLY AROUND THE ISLAND DUE TO LOW CLOUDS, RAIN & FOG IN THE AREA. HE RPRTD THAT HE FLEW OVER ICY STRAITS RATHER THAN TAKE A MORE DIRECT ROUTE & THAT CEILINGS WERE ABOUT 2000 FT BROKEN WITH LOWER STRATUS IN THE VALLEYS. A HELICOPTER PLT SAID HE WAS UNABLE TO WORK IN MOUNTAIN PASSES IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACDNT DUE TO LOW CLOUDS, RAIN & FOG; HE ALSO SAID THE PASSES WERE 'SOCKED IN.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT DECISION BY THE PILOT, AND HIS INADVERTENT FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC). THE TERRAIN AND WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE CONSIDERED TO BE FACTORS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/19/1989
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1315
Event Time Zone --
Event City PELICAN
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99832
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 4
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1330 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 300
Weather Observation Facility ID JNU
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
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 Unknown
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) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1140
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) 1490
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 20 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1530
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39835
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:37PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N62873
NTSB Number SEA89FA074
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name de Havilland
Aircraft Model DHC-2
Aircraft Series Identifier DHC-2
Aircraft Serial Number 323
Certified Max Gross Weight 5100
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 7
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 12 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 28
Airframe Hours 18800
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHANNEL FLYING, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8995 YANDUKIN DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City JUNEAU
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99801
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CHANNEL FLYING SERVICE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 8995 YANDUKIN
Operator City JUNEAU
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99801
Operator Code AL05
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 Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code JNU
Departure City JUNEAU
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1230
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PEC
Destination City PELICAN
Destination State AK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --