Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Petersburg, Alaska 99833
Friday, December 13, 2002 8:44 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A solo private pilot departed from an inland coastal town in a float-equipped airplane for a daylong trip. The pilot's proposed flight path would have covered an extensive area over open ocean water. When the airplane failed to return, an extensive search failed to find the airplane. Eighteen days later, the body of the pilot was found along the shore of the area of water the pilot intended to cross. A post mortem examination determined the cause of death was drowning and noted blunt force trauma to the head and neck as a significant condition.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

An in flight collision with ocean water for an undetermined reason.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/13/2002
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 844
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City Petersburg
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99833
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator --
On Ground Collision occurred ? --
Event Location Latitude 564800N
Event Location Longitude 1325600W
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID PAPG
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.18
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 13870
NTSB Notification Source ANC FAA, ROC
NTSB Notification Date Dec 16 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 30 2003 9:55AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Juneau FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9701G
NTSB Number ANC03LA022
Missing Aircraft Indicator Y
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 180
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18052201
Certified Max Gross Weight 2950
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 --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Lawrence A. Howell
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O.Box 282
Aircraft Owner City Petersburg
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99833
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 PAPG
Departure City Petersburg
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 826
Departure Time Zone AST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code PAPG
Destination City Petersburg
Destination State AK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Unknown
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jul 2 2003 2:00PM
User who most recently changed record PETL
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --