Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Harding Glacier, Alaska
Sunday, September 6, 1987 14:00 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PRIVATE PILOT AND HIS NON-PILOT ADULT MALE PASSENGER WERE FLYING FROM MODESTO, CA, TO SOLDOTNA, AK, FOR A HUNTING TRIP. THE PILOT, WHO HAD APPROXIMATELY 164 HOURS TOTAL FLIGHT TIME AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND WHO HAD NO PRIOR FLYING EXPERIENCE IN ALASKA, WAS ATTEMPTING TO FLY OVER A MOUNTAIN RANGE IN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS WHEN THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A MOUNTAIN GLACIER AT THE 5600' LEVEL. WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE TIME WERE REPORTEDLY LESS THAN VFR, WITH MODERATE TO SEVERE TURBULENCE, RAIN, AND CLOUDS OBSCURING THE MOUNTAINS. THE PILOT'S FORMER FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR HAD REPORTEDLY ADVISED HIM NOT TO UNDERTAKE THE FLIGHT DUE TO HIS LACK OF EXPERIENCE AND THE POTENTIALLY SEVERE WEATHER CONDITIONS IN ALASKA.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/6/1987
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone --
Event City HARDING GLACIER
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1987
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1054 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 22
Weather Observation Facility ID SWT
Elevation of weather observation facility 30
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
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) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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) 1360
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 11 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1330
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34613
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:47PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Unknown
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9407G
NTSB Number ANC87FA146
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model U206E
Aircraft Series Identifier U206E
Aircraft Serial Number U20601607
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 13 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 70
Airframe Hours 2250
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PAUL R PERSANO
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1611 SILKWOOD DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City MODESTO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PAUL R. PERSANO
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1611 SILKWOOD DR.
Operator City MODESTO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95350
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code YAK
Departure City YAKUTAT
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1013
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SXO
Destination City SOLDOTNA
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 --