Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Skagway Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Skagway, Alaska 99840
Friday, August 8, 2003 16:45 AKD
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The private certificated pilot departed from a near sea level runway situated in a narrow valley. The runway is 3,550 feet long by 75 feet wide. Steep mountains are located on either side of the departure path, which places the airplane in an increasingly narrowing canyon. The accident airplane was observed to takeoff on runway 02 and began a tight, climbing left turn. The direction of the turn placed the airplane near rising terrain to the northwest of the airport. The airplane was observed to descend, nose down, into the trees, followed by a fire. The location of the accident was along a steep hillside, at an elevation of about 260 feet msl. A postaccident examination of the airplane disclosed that it collided with the ground in a steep, nose down attitude. A postcrash fire consumed the cockpit/cabin area. Witnesses described the airplane's engine as running at all times. Evidence of numerous cut tree limbs at the scene were consistent with engine power. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no observed preimpact mechanical malfunctions. The FAA's Airport Facility Directory entry for the airport, states, in part: "Recommended daylight operations only. ...Approach to runway 20 in [a] narrow canyon. Turbulence and high obstructions. ...When departing runway 02, maintain runway heading for at least 1/2 mile to avoid nearby school and playground." Local users of the airport have developed a takeoff procedure for runway 02. The takeoff procedure recommends that airplanes make a slight right turn during climb-out to hug the right side of the canyon wall, then make a left climbing turn to clear the ridgeline northwest of the airport. The pilot was making a long distance cross-country flight and was not familiar with the airport.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and subsequent inadvertent stall, which resulted in a collision with trees during takeoff-initial climb. Factors contributing to the accident were terrain features consisting of a ravine and rising terrain on either side of the departure runway.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/8/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1645 |
| Event Time Zone | -- |
| Event City | SKAGWAY |
| Event State | ALASKA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 99840 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | -- |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | -- |
| Event Location Latitude | 592801N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1351841W |
| Event Location Airport | SKAGWAY |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | PAGY |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0.5 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 325 |
| Airport Elevation | 44 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1653 Atlantic Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 160 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PAGY |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 44 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | ADT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 23 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 6 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 12 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 13 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.16 |
| 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 | 3 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 15253 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA REGIONAL OPERATIONS CENTER |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 8 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1707 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 28 2004 3:34PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | FAA-AL-JNU FSDO 05 |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N4317S |
| NTSB Number | ANC03FA094 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Beech |
| Aircraft Model | V35-B |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | D-9768 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3400 |
| 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 | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Dec 18 2002 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 55 |
| Airframe Hours | 3509 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | DON K. JOHNSON |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | GRASS VALLEY |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 95949 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | PAGY |
| Departure City | SKAGWAY |
| Departure State | AK |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1645 |
| Departure Time Zone | ADT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | PAYA |
| Destination City | YAKUTAT |
| Destination State | AK |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff - initial climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 13 2004 1:24PM |
| User who most recently changed record | PETL |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |