Chefornak Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chefornak, Alaska 99561
Thursday, May 3, 2012 10:40 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was landing on a narrow gravel runway adjacent to a gravel road. He reported that both the road and runway were covered with snow and that flat light conditions made it difficult to discern between the two surfaces. He inadvertently landed to the left of the runway on the rough road, which resulted in structural damage to the nose landing gear bulkhead.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's misidentification of a nearby snow-covered road as the snow-covered runway in flat light conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/3/2012
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1040
Event Time Zone --
Event City Chefornak
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99561
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 600834N
Event Location Longitude 1641705W
Event Location Airport Chefornak
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PACK
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 40
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 954 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID PACK
Elevation of weather observation facility 40
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 600
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
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) -2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.84
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) 30204
NTSB Notification Source FAA Anchorage, ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 27 2012 6:46PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1906
NTSB Number ANC12CA036
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SHORT BROS. & HARLAND
Aircraft Model SC7 SERIES 3
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number SH1906
Certified Max Gross Weight 12500
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 20
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Apr 2 2012 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 9970
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C91-A
Aircraft Owner Name RYAN AIR INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99518-1656
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name RYAN AIR INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City ANCHORAGE
Operator State AK
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 99518-1656
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 1002
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code PACK
Destination City Chefornak
Destination State AK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 27 2012 6:46PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 34
Runway Length 2500
Runway Width 28
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --