Nuiqsut Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Nuiqsut, Alaska 99723
Sunday, November 13, 1983 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE SEARCH & RESCUE FLT HAD BEEN DISPATCHED FROM BARROW TO AN ACFT ACCIDENT SITE ADJACENT TO THE NUIQSUT ARPT. ACCORDINGTO THE PLT, UPON ARRIVING AT NUIQSUT AT 300 FT AGL THE VISIBILITY WAS 2-3 MI. THEY LINED UP WITH SNOW MACHINES FOR A VISUAL APCH TO THE SITE & THE CO-PLT DISENGAGED THE AUTOPILOT FOR DESCENT. THE PIC CALLED OUT 200, 100 & 50 FT. AT THE 50 FT CALL-OUT THE ACFT IMPACTED TERRAIN & BOTH PLTS PULLED UP ON THE COLLECTIVE. RIGHT AFTER THE PIC SAID 'WE'RE AT 50 FEET' THE ACFT AGAIN STRUCK THE GROUND. THE PIC WAS GIVING ALTITUDE READOUTS FROM THE RADAR ALTIMETER. THE ACFT HAD IMPACTED FIRST ON THE EDGE OF A 50 FT GULLY. THE ACFT HAD APPROACHED OVER THE GULLY. BASED ON OLIKTOK, DEADHORSE & UMIAT WX THE NUIQSUT ARPT WAS ENGULFED IN FOG.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/13/1983
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 40
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City NUIQSUT
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99723
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport NUIQSUT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 10AK
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 160
Airport Elevation 50
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 653 GMT
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 60
Weather Observation Facility ID SCC
Elevation of weather observation facility 57
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 62
Time Zone of the weather observation GMT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 1000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 500
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) -22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3003
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 23319
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:16AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3910Y
NTSB Number ANC84FA017
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 212
Aircraft Series Identifier 212
Aircraft Serial Number 31195
Certified Max Gross Weight 8500
Aircraft Category Helicopter
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 15
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Sep 20 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 48
Airframe Hours 538
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NORTH SLOPE BOROUGH
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO BOX 69
Aircraft Owner City BARROW
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99723
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) Public Use
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BRW
Departure City BARROW
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 2305
Departure Time Zone AST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
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 10:31AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --