Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Larson Bay, Alaska 99624
Friday, December 12, 2003 13:00 AST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The cargo flight departed with 64 gallons of fuel onboard, using the right main tank (approximately 15 gallons) for the first leg of the approximately 170 mile round trip with two intermediate stops. The pilot said about 30 minutes into the flight, about 5 miles south of the first airport of intended landing, he flew into a snow squall, and descended to 500' msl over the bay to maintain visual reference to the ground. He initiated a steep 180 degree left turn because of rising terrain ahead, and during the turn, the engine lost all power. He said he rolled out on the reverse heading, switched fuel tanks, and unsuccessfully attempted to restart the engine. The pilot subsequently ditched the airplane in the relatively calm water of a cove. The crew of a fishing boat who witnessed the ditching picked up the pilot. The airplane was subsequently recovered, and the engine successfully run by maintenance personnel.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The loss of engine power for an unknown reason while maneuvering, which resulted in the pilot ditching the airplane. Factors contributing to the accident were a low ceiling and a snow squall.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/12/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1300 |
| Event Time Zone | Atlantic Standard Time |
| Event City | Larson Bay |
| Event State | ALASKA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 99624 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 573000N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1535300W |
| 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 | Partial - limited by briefer |
| Investigator's weather source | Pilot |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | -- |
| 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 | 2000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 2 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 0 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 290 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Heavy |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 16443 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Operator |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 12 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1415 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 28 2004 10:11AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Anchorage FSDO-03 |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3983W |
| NTSB Number | ANC04LA014 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-32-260 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 32-953 |
| 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 | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Dec 1 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 15.5 |
| Airframe Hours | 4989 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Redemption Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2191 Mill Bay Road |
| Aircraft Owner City | Kodiak |
| Aircraft Owner State | AK |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 99615 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | ISLAND AIR SERVICE |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | PO Box 125 |
| Operator City | Kodiak |
| Operator State | AK |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 99615 |
| Operator Code | FQUA |
| Owner has at least one certificate | -- |
| 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 | Non-scheduled |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | Domestic |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Cargo |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | PADQ |
| Departure City | Kodiak |
| Departure State | AK |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1230 |
| Departure Time Zone | AST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | 2A3 |
| Destination City | Larson Bay |
| Destination State | AK |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Maneuvering - turn to reverse direction |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 2 2004 1:49PM |
| User who most recently changed record | PETL |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |