Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Hoonah, Alaska 99829
Thursday, August 2, 2012 8:30 AKD
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The operator reported that during the flight, which traversed areas of remote inland fjords, coastal waterways, and steep, mountainous, tree-covered terrain, contact with the airplane was lost. A search located the airplane's fragmented wreckage in a densely wooded area along the airplane's route. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal evidence of any preimpact malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation.
Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the point of departure, with areas of marginal visual conditions and mountain obscuration in areas along the anticipated route of flight.
The airplane was equipped with Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) avionics package. A review of archived track data showed that, after crossing the north end of an island, the airplane began a shallow descent while approaching a peninsula with rising mountainous terrain ahead. No unusual or extreme deviations of altitude, speed, or course heading were recorded by ADS-B.
Given the reported weather conditions, the lack of mechanical deficiencies that would have precluded normal operation, and the lack of maneuvering by the pilot, it is likely the pilot flew into marginal visual meteorological conditions and subsequently collided with mountainous tree-covered terrain.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees and terrain while in cruise flight in marginal visual meteorological conditions.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/2/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 830 |
| Event Time Zone | -- |
| Event City | Hoonah |
| Event State | ALASKA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 99829 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 581533N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1350711W |
| 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 | 756 Atlantic Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 48 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PAOH |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 19 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 16 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | ADT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 3300 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 2300 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 4 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 13 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 12 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 60 |
| 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) | 30.15 |
| 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 | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 31467 |
| 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 | Jun 12 2013 5:25PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N8200M |
| NTSB Number | ANC12FA083 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | PIPER |
| Aircraft Model | PA-32-301 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 32-8006048 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3600 |
| 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 | 7 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 29 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 15529 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C91-A |
| Aircraft Owner Name | AIR EXCURSIONS LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | GUSTAVUS |
| Aircraft Owner State | AK |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 99826-0016 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | AIR EXCURSIONS LLC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | GUSTAVUS |
| Operator State | AK |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 99826-0016 |
| Operator Code | YAXA |
| 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 | YAXA357T |
| 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 | PAJN |
| Departure City | Juneau |
| Departure State | AK |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 730 |
| Departure Time Zone | ADT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | PAGS |
| Destination City | Gustavus |
| Destination State | AK |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 12 2013 5:13PM |
| 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 | -- |