Kaltag Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kaltag, Alaska 99748
Thursday, December 8, 2011 14:00 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During a visual approach in icing conditions, the pilot retracted the landing gear to prevent ice from building up on the gear. He reported that, as he applied power to abort the approach, he saw the runway and continued the landing. Due to fatigue and other distractions, the pilot said that he failed to re-extend the landing gear and landed the airplane gear-up. The airplane slid into a snow berm, and received substantial damage to the wings and fuselage.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot landed without lowering the landing gear. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's self-reported fatigue.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/8/2011
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City Kaltag
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99748
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 641908N
Event Location Longitude 1584429W
Event Location Airport Kaltag
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PAKV
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 181
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 1000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1000
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) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.56
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 29660
NTSB Notification Source Operator
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 22 2012 10:26AM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N300ED
NTSB Number ANC12CA012
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-31-350
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 31-7852008
Certified Max Gross Weight 7368
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 8
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Dec 4 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 29724
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C126
Aircraft Owner Name SNOBOW INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City FAIRBANKS
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99706-1232
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name WARBELOWS AIR VENTURES INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Fairbanks
Operator State AK
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 99706
Operator Code WVBA
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 WVBA620S
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code KYU
Departure City Koyukuk
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1315
Departure Time Zone AST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code PAKV
Destination City Kaltag
Destination State AK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 16 2012 11:56AM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 21
Runway Length 3986
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --