Piper PA-32RT-300T N393HM

Summary

On 8 September 1990 at about 02:25 local time, a Piper PA-32RT-300T registered N393HM was involved in an accident near Glacier Island, Alaska, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 September 1990 at 02:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Glacier Island, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

61.1503, -146.8096

Aircraft

Piper PA-32RT-300T

Registration

N393HM

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Valdez → Palmer

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC90LA173

2 people died.

UNDETERMINED MECHANICAL FAILURE(S) THAT RESULTED IN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT, AND A SUBSEQUENT EMERGENCY DESCENT FOR A FORCED LANDING (DITCHING) AT SEA. THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A FORCED LANDING WAS A RELATED FACTOR.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

ABOUT 20 MINUTES AFTER TAKING OFF ON A VFR FLIGHT FROM VALDEZ TO PALMER, AK, THE PILOT REPORTED A ROUGH-RUNNING ENGINE AND SMOKE IN THE CABIN. ABOUT ONE MINUTE LATER, HE REPORTED THAT HE WAS LOSING VISIBILITY BECAUSE OF SMOKE IN THE CABIN AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. RADIO CONTACT WITH THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOST, AND IT WAS PRESUMED TO HAVE CRASHED IN PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND NEAR GLACIER ISLAND, ABOUT 30 MILES WEST-SOUTHWEST OF THE DEPARTURE POINT. FOUR DAYS LATER, THE PASSENGER'S BODY WAS RECOVERED FROM THE WATER IN THAT AREA. A POST-MORTEM EXAM REVEALED THE PASSENGER HAD DROWNED. ON 9/10/90, A 4 FT SECTION OF ONE OF THE AIRCRAT'S WINGS WAS FOUND ON A BEACH ABOUT 2-1/2 MILES FROM WHERE THE PASSENGER'S BODY WAS FOUND.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.