Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Jamestown, North Dakota 58401
Thursday, January 27, 1983 22:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE EN ROUTE, THE PLT ENCOUNTERED FREEZING RAIN AND CLIMBED TO APRX 3500 FT TO BE ON TOP OF ALL WEATHER. WHEN HE THROTTLED BACK, THE ENGINE BEGAN SURGING AND WOULD NOT PRODUCE ENOUGH POWER FOR LEVEL FLIGHT. THE PILOT KNEW THAT THE GROUND LEVEL IN THAT AREA WAS APRX 1700 TO 1900 FT MSL. AS HE DESCENDED THRU 2500 FT, HE PLACED 2 MAILBAGS ON HIS LAP. HE DIMMED THE COCKPIT LIGHTS, TURNED ON THE TAXI LIGHTS AND WINDSHIELD ALCOHOL, AND BEGAN LOOKING FOR GROUND REFERENCES. HOWEVER, HE DID NOT SEE THE GROUND UNTIL THE TIME OF IMPACT. THE PILOT BELIEVED THAT THE AUTOMATIC FEATURE OF THE ALTERNATE AIR DOOR HAD MALFUNCTIONED OR FAILED. HE REPORTED THAT HE AND ANOTHER PILOT HAD PREVIOUSLY HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM WHEN THE SAME KIND OF WEATHER WAS ENCOUNTERED. REPORTEDLY, AT ONE TIME, THE ACFT HAD BEEN EQUIPPED WITH A MANUAL CONTROL TO OPERATE THE DOOR. BUT THIS FEATURE HAD BEEN REMOVED. DURING A FUNCTIONAL CHECK, THE ENGINE OPERATED NORMALLY. THE ALT AIR DOOR PARTS WERE TOO BADLY DAMAGED FROM IMPACT TO BE OPERATIONALLY CHKD.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/27/1983
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2230
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City JAMESTOWN
Event State NORTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 58401
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 1
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 Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 100
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Overcast
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) -6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Moderate
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 109
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 20269
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 N1597U
NTSB Number DEN83LA054
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 207
Aircraft Series Identifier 207
Aircraft Serial Number 20700197
Certified Max Gross Weight 3800
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 26 1982 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours 4320
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RED RIVER TRANSPORT & DEVL. CO
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 1535
Aircraft Owner City ST. PAUL
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55111
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 Mail
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code FAR
Departure City FARGO
Departure State ND
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BIS
Destination City BISMARCK
Destination State ND
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
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 --