Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Petersburg, Alaska 99833
Thursday, June 16, 1983 3:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE STUDENT PLT WAS ON A NIGHT FLT FROM WHITEHORSE TO PRINCE RUPERT, CANADA VIA SKAGWAY & JUNEAU, AK. ACCORDING TO HIM, WHEN PASSING THE FIVE FINGERS NDB TO ENTER THE STRAIT, HE ENCOUNTERED SOUTHEAST WINDS OF APRX 25 KTS. ON ATTEMPTING TO RETURN TO JUNEAU, HE BECAME UNSURE OF HIS POSITION DUE TO DETERIORATING WX. HE SPENT SEVERAL HRS TRYING TO DETERMINE HIS POSITION & FINALLY SAW THE LIGHTS OF A SHIP. ALSO, HE WAS AT LOW ALTITUDE & REPORTEDLY TRIED FOR 45 MIN TO COMMUNICATE HIS PROBLEM BY RADIO. EVENTUALLY, COMMUNICATION WAS RELAYED BY ANOTHER ACFT THAT WAS OVERFLYING THE AREA. AS FUEL WAS EXHAUSTED, THE ACFT WAS DITCHED NEXT TO THE SHIP THAT HE HAD LOCATED. HE WAS RESCUED BY PERSONNEL ON THE SHIP, BUT THE ACFT SANK. THE STUDENT PLT HAD ONLY 7 HRS OF NIGHT FLYING EXPERIENCE & NO REPORTED INSTRUMENT TIME. THE WX AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 2000 FT OVERCAST, 1/2 MI VISIBILITY WITH RAIN & FOG.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/16/1983
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 330
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City PETERSBURG
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99833
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 6
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 355 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 160
Weather Observation Facility ID KDN
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 2000
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) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 25
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Moderate
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 932
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 21139
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 N1820X
NTSB Number SEA83LA126
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182H
Aircraft Series Identifier 182H
Aircraft Serial Number 18255920
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
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 1 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2050
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BRUCE RUSSEK
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1906 BOADER AVE.
Aircraft Owner City CORONA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
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 No
Departure Airport Code YKY
Departure City WHITEHORSE
Departure State CD
Departure Country
Departure Time 1845
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code VPT
Destination City PRINCE RUPPERT
Destination State CD
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 --