Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Big Lake Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Big Lake, Alaska 99652
Sunday, August 10, 2014 2:17 AKD
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On August 10, 2014, about 0217 Alaska daylight time, a Piper PA-24-250 airplane, N5158P, sustained substantial damage during an in-flight collision with trees and terrain while attempting to land on Runway 7 at the Big Lake Airport, Big Lake, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) local flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 when the accident occurred. The private pilot was fatally injured, and the sole passenger sustained serious injuries. Dark night, visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight departed Merrill Field Airport, Anchorage, Alaska, about 0202.
Based on information provided by a family member of the pilot, he had been in Anchorage for a social visit, and would have been returning home to Big Lake when the accident occurred.
According to witnesses, the accident pilot and his passenger were seen at local bar in Anchorage, during the early morning hours of August 10. Various bar patrons reported that both the accident pilot, and his female passenger, left the bar about 0119 on August 10. Archived surveillance video, which was provided to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), confirmed the witness's accounts.
An initial review of archived Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) radar data revealed that, on August 10, about 0202, an unidentified aircraft, believed to be the accident airplane, departed from the Merrill Field Airport. After departure, the radar track proceeded north, towards the Big Lake Airport. As the track approached the Big Lake Airport, it turned west, and appeared to pass over the airport. After passing over the airport in a westerly direction, the track turns 180 degrees back to the airport. The track subsequently disappeared about the time of the accident.
The NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC) along with another NTSB investigator reached the accident site on the morning of August 10. The initial impact point was marked by two broken treetops, atop 40-foot tall birch trees, located about 50 feet south of the extended runway centerline and 830 feet from the threshold of runway 7. The airplane impacted in a nose low attitude and came to rest upright in an area of gravel-covered terrain alongside a road adjacent to the airport. An on-scene documentation of the wreckage was completed, and a detailed wreckage examination is pending.
During the on-scene wreckage examination, the NTSB IIC recovered a portable global positioning system (GPS) receiver that was capable of storing track and altitude data. The unit was sent to the NTSB's Vehicle Recorders Division for a preliminary examination that revealed the accident flight departed MRI about 0202. After departure, the airplane proceeded north before it turned west, toward the Big Lake airport, and made a straight-in approach to runway 25. As the airplane passed over the threshold of runway 25, the airplane began to climb, and it continued west for about 1 mile before making a 180-degree left turn in the direction of runway 7. A detailed NTSB examination of the archived GPS data is pending.
The closest weather reporting facility is Wasilla Airport, Wasilla, AK, about 9 miles east of the accident site. At 0236, an aviation routine weather report (METAR) was reporting wind 060 degrees at 5 knots, visibility, 10 statute miles, overcast clouds 10,000 feet; 57 degrees F; dew point 43 degrees F; altimeter, 29.63 inHG.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/10/2014 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 217 |
| Event Time Zone | -- |
| Event City | Big Lake |
| Event State | ALASKA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 99652 |
| Event Date Year | 2014 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | Big Lake Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | PAGQ |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | -- |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 269 |
| Airport Elevation | 158 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 236 AKD |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 73 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PAWS |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 353 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 9 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | AKD |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 10000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| 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) | 14 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 6 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 60 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.63 |
| 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) | -- |
| NTSB Notification Source | Alaska State Troopers |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 14 2014 8:46PM |
| User who most recently changed record | johc |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N5158P |
| NTSB Number | ANC14FA062 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | PIPER |
| Aircraft Model | PA-24-250 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | -- |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| 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 | -- |
| Number of Engines | -- |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | -- |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Unknown |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Christopher Cyphers |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Big Lake |
| Aircraft Owner State | AK |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 99652 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Christopher Cyphers |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Big Lake |
| Operator State | AK |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 99652 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | PAMR |
| Departure City | Anchorage |
| Departure State | AK |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 202 |
| Departure Time Zone | AKD |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | PAGQ |
| Destination City | Big Lake |
| Destination State | AK |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 14 2014 10:07PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 07 |
| Runway Length | 2435 |
| Runway Width | 70 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |