Nome Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Nome, Alaska 99762
Sunday, April 24, 1983 12:07 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AT 1205 BDT, THE PLT REPORTED DEPARTING RWY 20 ON AN IFR FLT. AT THAT TIME, THE BASES OF THE CLOUDS WERE REPORTED TO BE AT APRX 600 TO 700 FT WITH THE TOPS AT 3500 FT & ANOTHER CLOUD LAYER WAS ABOVE THAT. AT APRX 1207, THE ACFT CRASHED ON THE ARPT BOUNDRY, BESIDE THE WEST END OF RWY 9/27. THE IMPACT OCCURRED ON THE SOUTH BANK OF A SNOW COVERED, FROZEN RIVER. THE MAIN WRECKAGE CAME TO REST ON THE NORTH BANK AFTER TRAVELING APRX 300 FT. TWO WITNESSES HEARD WHAT SOUNDED TO THEM AS AEROBATIC MANEUVERS. ONE WITNESS STATED THAT HE SAW THE ACFT JUST BELOW THE BASE OF THE CLOUDS HEADING NORTH. ACCORDING TO HIM, THE ACFT STARTED A 360 DEG RIGHT TURN, MAKING A STEEP DESCENT DURING THE 1ST HALF OF THE TURN, THEN A STEEP CLIMB DURING THE 2ND HALF. HE REPORTED THAT AT THE COMPLETION OF THE TURN, THE ACFT'S NOSE DROPPED & THE ACFT ENTERED A DESCENT & CRASHED. ANOTHER WITNESS SAW THE PLANE DESCENDING BEFORE ITCRASHED. HE THOUGHT THAT IT HAD JUST COME OUT OF THE CLOUDS. VACUUM PUMP/ATTITUDE INDICATOR EXAMED, NO MALFUNCTION FOUND

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/24/1983
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1207
Event Time Zone --
Event City NOME
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99762
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport NOME
Event Location Nearest Airport ID OME
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 260
Airport Elevation 36
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1217 BDT
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID OME
Elevation of weather observation facility 36
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 75
Time Zone of the weather observation BDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 600
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 600
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 742
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 21456
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7346W
NTSB Number ANC83FAA06
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-180
Aircraft Serial Number 28-1223
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 Mar 10 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 4746
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILHELM J. SCHOSAL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6314 HAMPTON DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99504
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 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 Yes
Departure Airport Code OME
Departure City NOME
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code GAL
Destination City GALENA
Destination State AK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 20
Runway Length 5576
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --