Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Skwentna, Alaska 99667
Sunday, June 12, 2005 17:30 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The commercial certificated pilot was on a 14 CFR Part 135 air taxi cargo flight transporting a load of plywood in an external rack that was attached to the belly of the fixed tricycle gear-equipped airplane. During cruise flight at 1,500 feet msl, he noticed the smell of smoke in the cockpit. He flew towards a river as flames entered the cabin of the airplane, and made an emergency landing on a gravel bar. He jumped from the airplane during the landing roll, and the airplane continued to roll until it struck a log and nosed over, with the fire still burning. Passing aircraft saw smoke in the area, and then spotted the airplane and the pilot in the river outside of the airplane. A helicopter pilot was nearby and responded to the scene. The pilot was airlifted to a local hospital by the helicopter pilot. According to the FAA, no records were found that the operator had an external load authorization. No records were found indicating that the airplane had a restricted category authorization for external loads, nor any authorization for installation of the external lumber rack.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper loading of externally carried lumber that caught fire due to exposure to hot exhaust gases during cruise flight, which resulted in an emergency descent/landing and subsequent collision with a gravel bar. A factor contributing to the accident was the operator's lack of FAA approval for the external lumber rack that was installed under the belly of the airplane.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/12/2005
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1730
Event Time Zone --
Event City Skwentna
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99667
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 615239N
Event Location Longitude 1513038W
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 --
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 --
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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.3
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 18866
NTSB Notification Source FAA Regional Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date Jun 12 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jan 31 2006 7:35AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA-ANC FSDO 03

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N51205
NTSB Number ANC05LA085
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model U206F
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number U20601979
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 1 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 95
Airframe Hours 13785
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Mark W. Bills II
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Wasilla
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99654
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Mark W. Bills
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Wasilla
Operator State AK
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 99654
Operator Code 03KC
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 PAUO
Departure City Willow
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1715
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Skwentna
Destination State AK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 25 2005 2:43PM
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 --