Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Haines, Alaska 99827
Sunday, July 30, 1989 10:00 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE ON A VFR FLT FROM SKAGWAY TO JUNEAU, AK, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED OBSCURING WX CONDITIONS AND REVERSED COURSE. EN ROUTE BACK TO SKAGWAY, HE ENCOUNTERED LOW CEILING, RAIN AND FOG. HE DESCENDED TO FLY UNDER THE WX AND LOST VISUAL REFERENCE AT ABOUT 150 FT ABOVE A SALTWATER INLET. HE INITIATED A CLIMB IN IMC, BUT THE ACFT IMPACTED ON A STEEP, WOODED HILLSIDE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING AND DECISION BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN INADVERTENT FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC). THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND TERRAIN WERE RELATED FACTORS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/30/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1000
Event Time Zone --
Event City HAINES
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99827
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 7
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 935 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 305
Weather Observation Facility ID 226
Elevation of weather observation facility 16
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
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) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 640
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 3
Injury Total All 5
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1767
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 30 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1230
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40824
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:53PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8257V
NTSB Number SEA89FA143
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32-301
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32-301
Aircraft Serial Number 32-8206040
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jul 14 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 86
Airframe Hours 4386
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SKAGWAY AIR SERVICE INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 357
Aircraft Owner City SKAGWAY
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99840
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SKAGWAY AIR SERVICE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4TH & BROADWAY
Operator City SKAGWAY
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99840
Operator Code 5LL
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 Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SGY
Departure City SKAGWAY
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 925
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code JNU
Destination City JUNEAU
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 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --