Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Skagway, Alaska 99840
Wednesday, June 25, 2003 11:05 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The certificated private pilot departed on a VFR cross-country flight over mountainous terrain. In order for the pilot to reach his destination, the flight would need to traverse a commonly used mountain pass. Prior to departure, the pilot obtained a weather briefing that included AIRMET's for mountain obscuration along the planned route of flight. The Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) briefer advised that there were no pilot weather reports available for the area around the mountain pass. The AFSS specialist added that weather conditions, specifically in mountain passes, were forecast to deteriorate, with marginal VFR conditions, low ceilings, rain, and fog. A road maintenance crew working on a portion of the highway near the accident site, reported low clouds, fog, and reduced visibility in the area just before the accident, and they elected to stop working due to safety concerns associated with deteriorating weather conditions. One witness reported that while sitting in his vehicle, waiting for weather conditions to improve, he heard what sounded like a low flying airplane headed towards him. He said that as he looked up, he saw the accident airplane fly out of a cloud, headed north, and parallel to the east side of the valley. As the airplane continued, he heard it "clip the side of the mountain." After the airplane contacted the mountain, the wings rocked back-and-forth, and the airplane once again entered a cloudbank. He said that just after he lost sight of the airplane for the second time, the engine speed increased significantly, followed by the sound of the airplane impacting terrain. Postaccident inspection of the airplane disclosed no evidence of any preaccident mechanical anomalies.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in an in-flight collision with mountainous terrain. Factors associated with the accident were low ceilings, rain, and fog.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/25/2003
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1105
Event Time Zone --
Event City Skagway
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99840
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator --
On Ground Collision occurred ? --
Event Location Latitude 593508N
Event Location Longitude 1351001W
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1053 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID PAGY
Elevation of weather observation facility 44
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.05
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Heavy
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 14795
NTSB Notification Source ANC FAA, ROC
NTSB Notification Date Jun 25 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1145
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Mar 2 2004 8:07AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Juneau FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N736QK
NTSB Number ANC03FA061
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number R1722703
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 Apr 4 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 72
Airframe Hours 5107
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Richard Ross
Aircraft Owner Street Address RFD 1
Aircraft Owner City Sedgwick
Aircraft Owner State KS
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 67135
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 JUN
Departure City Juneau
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1031
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CYXY
Destination City Whitehorse
Destination State --
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Dec 17 2003 3:11PM
User who most recently changed record PETL
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --