Cessna 414 N8180K

Summary

On 28 August 1990 at about 20:16 local time, a Cessna 414 registered N8180K was involved in an accident near Sitka, Alaska, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 August 1990 at 20:16

Classification

Accident

Location

Sitka, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Sitka (SIT)

Coordinates

56.7296, -134.9994

Aircraft

Cessna 414

Registration

N8180K

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sitka → Anchorage

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC90FA158

2 people died.

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, AND HIS FAILURE TO FOLLOW IFR PROCEDURES AND MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING AND FILED AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN FROM SITKA TO ANCHORAGE, ALASKA. DURING TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 11 AT SITKA, HE PROVIDED A PIREP TO THE FLIGHT SERVICE STATION, SAYING THAT HE HAD ENTERED THE CLOUD BASES AT 700 FT MSL. WHILE DEPARTING, A LEFT TURN WAS MADE, AND THE AIRPLANE CRASHED ON MOUNT VERSTOVIA AT THE 1420 FT LEVEL, APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES EAST OF THE AIRPORT. AN ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE AIRPLANE STRUCK WOODED TERRAIN WHILE CLIMBING ON A HEADING OF 359 DEG. SEVERAL TREE LIMBS HAD BEEN CLEAN CUT (BY THE PROPELLERS); WRECKAGE WAS SPREAD OVER A 516 FT AREA. A STANDARD INSTRUMENT DEPARTURE (SITKA 5 SID) WAS AVAILABLE WHICH WOULD HAVE PROVIDED TERRAIN CLEARANCE WITH A RIGHT TURN-OUT FROM RUNWAY 11 TO AN INITIAL CLIMB HEADING OF 280 DEG.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.