Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Nome, Alaska 99762
Monday, August 7, 1989 12:30 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DRG ARRIVAL, RYAN AIR FLT 2401 (CESSNA 402, N12333) CONTACTED NOME FSS & RPRTD 15 MI WEST OF NOME. THE PLT WAS ADZD THE WX AT NOME WAS BELOW BASIC VFR. THE PLT REQUESTED A SPECIAL VFR CLNC. HE WAS ADZD TO REMAIN IN VFR CONDITIONS OUTSIDE THE CONTROL ZONE & TO STANDBY FOR A CLNC. LATER, WHEN FSS PSNL TRIED TO CONTACT FLT 2401 TO ISSUE THE CLNC, THERE WAS NO REPLY FROM THE PLT. SUBSEQUENTLY, A SEARCH WAS INITIATED FOR THE ACFT. FOUR DAYS LATER, IT WAS FOUND WHERE IT HAD CRASHED AT ABOUT 450' MSL ON THE EAST EDGE OF SLEDGE ISLAND, APRX 18 MI WEST OF NOME. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THE ACFT HAD CRASHED INTO RISING TERRAIN, WHILE IN LEVEL FLT ON A HEADING OF ABOUT 250 DEG. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS EVIDENT. THE 1300 ADT WX AT NOME WAS IN PART: 400' OVC, VIS 2 MI WITH RAIN & FOG, WIND FROM 120 DEG AT 12 KTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

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

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/7/1989
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone --
Event City NOME
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99762
Event Date Year 1989
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1300 APT
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 260
Weather Observation Facility ID OME
Elevation of weather observation facility 59
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation APT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 400
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) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1079
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 7 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39356
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:56PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N12333
NTSB Number ANC89FA137
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 402
Aircraft Series Identifier 402
Aircraft Serial Number 402C0806
Certified Max Gross Weight 6850
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 8
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Aug 1 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 13
Airframe Hours 5644
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RYAN AIR SERVICE, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1205 E INT'L AIRPORT ROAD
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99518
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1205 E. INT'L AIRPORT ROAD
Operator City ANCHORAGE
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99518
Operator Code XY
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 WAA
Departure City WALES
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1134
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code OME
Destination City NOME
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --