Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Healy, Alaska 99755
Wednesday, October 14, 2009 14:30 AKD
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that he was flying a private wildlife biologist over an area of a national park to observe and track wolves using radio telemetry. The pilot stated that during the initial 2 hours of the flight there was no significant turbulence, only what he characterized as light chop. The pilot indicated that just prior to the accident he flew over a ridge that rose to about 500 to 800 feet above the ground. When the pilot maneuvered the airplane to reverse direction toward the ridge, it encountered turbulence and downdrafts that increased the airplane’s bank angle and pushed it towards the ground, ultimately causing it to strike trees and the ground. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Additionally, a warning had been issued to airmen for the possibility of severe or greater turbulence, severe icing, low-level wind shear, and instrument flight conditions in the general area at the time of the accident.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's decision to maneuver at a low altitude over rising terrain in conditions conducive to turbulence/downdrafts, resulting in a loss of control and impact with terrain.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/14/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1430 |
| Event Time Zone | -- |
| Event City | Healy |
| Event State | ALASKA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 99755 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 633710N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1495404W |
| 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 | 1456 Atlantic Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 75 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PAIN |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1720 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 31 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | ADT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 300 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 300 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Thin Overcast |
| 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) | 1 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 10 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.49 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 27757 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 11 2011 1:46PM |
| User who most recently changed record | lema |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N2764J |
| NTSB Number | ANC10FA004 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Unknown |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | CESSNA |
| Aircraft Model | A185E |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 185-1514 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3350 |
| 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 | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 16 2009 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 3475 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Dan McGregor |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | DENALI PARK |
| Aircraft Owner State | AK |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 99755-0172 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Dan McGregor |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | DENALI PARK |
| Operator State | AK |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 99755-0172 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| 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 | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Aerial Observation |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | A06 |
| Departure City | McKinley Park |
| Departure State | AK |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1200 |
| Departure Time Zone | ADT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | A06 |
| Destination City | McKinley Park |
| Destination State | AK |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 5 2010 7:46PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |