Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Nunapitchuk Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Nunapitchuk, Alaska 99641
Friday, April 10, 2009 10:45 AKD
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The solo commercial pilot was en route to a rural airport on a Title 14, CFR Part 135 air taxi flight with a load of cargo. During an interview with the NTSB investigator-in-charge on April 10, the pilot stated that the flight was without incident until he began the approach to land. He indicated he had difficulty finding the runway in reduced visibility due to blowing snow. He stated he prematurely slowed the airplane in preparation for landing, as he thought he was closer to the runway than he was. He said that due to his low altitude and the poor visibility, he overshot his turn from left base to final, and while attempting to correct and realign the airplane with the runway, the stall warning horn came on, and the airplane stalled, striking the left wing on terrain west of the runway. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical problems with the airplane, and that he should have paid more attention to his altitude and airspeed.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain sufficient airspeed to avoid a stall during the landing approach.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/10/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1045 |
| Event Time Zone | -- |
| Event City | Nunapitchuk |
| Event State | ALASKA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 99641 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 605422N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1622626W |
| Event Location Airport | Nunapitchuk |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 16A |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 12 |
| 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 | Unknown |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Unknown |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 3 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 0 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 10 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 12 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| 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) | 26004 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA, ANC ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 11 2009 6:20PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N43551 |
| NTSB Number | ANC09LA030 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Unknown |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | PIPER |
| Aircraft Model | PA-32-300 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 32-7440133 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3400 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | -- |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Feb 21 2009 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 45 |
| Airframe Hours | 9804 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C91-A |
| Aircraft Owner Name | J P AIR SERVICE LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | PO BOX 1502 |
| Aircraft Owner City | BETHEL |
| Aircraft Owner State | AK |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 99559-1502 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | J P AIR SERVICE LLC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | PO BOX 1502 |
| Operator City | BETHEL |
| Operator State | AK |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 99559-1502 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | PABE |
| Departure City | Bethel |
| Departure State | AK |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1030 |
| Departure Time Zone | ADT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | 16A |
| Destination City | Nunapitchuk |
| Destination State | AK |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 11 2009 6:20PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 18 |
| Runway Length | 2420 |
| Runway Width | 70 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |