Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Unalakleet, Alaska 99684
Monday, October 24, 2005 14:00 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

After completing a multiple leg-cargo flight, the commercial pilot was conducting a 14 CFR Part 91, positioning flight. During the flight the pilot was flying at low-level looking for animals. According to the sole passenger, while approaching a ridgeline, the pilot climbed steeply from 150 feet above ground level (agl) to 400-500 feet agl, banked to the left at 75-80 degrees, and started a descent to about 200 feet agl. The passenger said during the descent he saw the pilot look in the back of the airplane because of noise made by the seats under a cargo net. The passenger said he saw the ground coming up fast, and yelled "whoa, whoa, whoa." The pilot looked forward just in time to pull the yoke back prior to the impact with the terrain. The pilot told the director of operations for the operator that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. The fuselage and wings received substantial damage during the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain altitude/clearance from terrain while performing a low altitude maneuver.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/24/2005
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone --
Event City Unalakleet
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99684
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 633810N
Event Location Longitude 1605014W
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1416 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID UNK
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 0
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.64
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 19456
NTSB Notification Source FAA Anchorage, ROC
NTSB Notification Date Oct 24 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 25 2006 11:00AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Fairbanks FSDO-01

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1263Y
NTSB Number ANC06LA007
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 208B
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 208B0731
Certified Max Gross Weight 9062
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 10
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Oct 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 100
Airframe Hours 7259
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BERING AIR INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Nome
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99762
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 FXTA
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code WBB
Departure City Stebbins
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1345
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PAUN
Destination City Unalakleet
Destination State AK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 26 2006 2:34PM
User who most recently changed record PETL
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --