Gulkana Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gulkana, Alaska 99588
Tuesady, August 20, 1985 2:05 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A NIGHT ARRIVAL, THE FLT WAS ON AN INSTRUMENT APCH TO THE GULKANA ARPT WHEN RADIO CONTACT WITH THE ACFT WAS LOST. A SEARCH WAS INITIATED & THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND 7.4 MI NORTH OF THE TERMINAL VOR ON THE 330 DEG RADIAL. THE INBOUND COURSE FOR THE VOR RWY 14 APCH WAS ON THE 315 DEG RADIAL. AN ON-SCENE EXAM REVEALED THE ACFT WAS TRACKING INBOUND WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TREES, CRASHED & BURNED ABOUT 2.4 MI BEFORE REACHING THE FINAL APCH FIX. BOTH ENGS WERE OPERATING DURING IMPACT & BOTH HAD INJESTED CONSIDERABLE TREE MATERIAL. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL FAILURE WAS EVIDENT. THE CAPTAIN & 1ST OFFICER WERE CURRENTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR FLYING BOTH THE LEARJET & DHC-7 ACFT. THIS WAS THE CAPTAIN'S 1ST DAY OF WORK AFTER RETURNING FROM A VACATION TRIP TO HAWAII (APRX 1-1/2 WEEKS). THE 1ST OFFICER HAD AN ADEQUATE PERIOD FOR CREW REST PRIOR TO REPORTING FOR WORK; HOWEVER, HE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN WORKING A VARIED SCHEDULE. THE OPERATOR REPEATEDLY SHIFTED PLTS FROM 14 CFR 135 REST/DUTY REQUIREMENTS TO THOSE OF 14 CFR 121.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/20/1985
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 205
Event Time Zone --
Event City GULKANA
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99588
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GULKANA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID GKN
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 9
Degrees magnetic from airport 317
Airport Elevation 1578
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 320 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 137
Weather Observation Facility ID GKN
Elevation of weather observation facility 1578
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 9000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1200
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 12
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2661
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 20 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30327
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N455JA
NTSB Number ANC85MA157
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name GATES LEARJET
Aircraft Model 24D
Aircraft Series Identifier 24D
Aircraft Serial Number 300
Certified Max Gross Weight 13500
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 Jul 1 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 86
Airframe Hours 6645
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ERA HELICOPTERS, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 6160 SO. AIRPARK DR
Operator City ANCHORAGE
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99502
Operator Code
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/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ANC
Departure City ANCHORAGE
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 129
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code GKN
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 14
Runway Length 4200
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --