Piper PA-31-350 N3555C
4 April 1992 · Kotzebue, Alaska, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 4 April 1992 at about 13:36 local time, a Piper PA-31-350 registered N3555C, operated by Frontier Flying Service, was involved in an accident near Kotzebue, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 13:36
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Kotzebue, Alaska, United States
- Nearest airport
- Kotzebue (OTZ)
- Coordinates
- 67.2409, -161.1909
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350
- Registration
- N3555C
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Frontier Flying Service
- Operating rule
- Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Fairbanks → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- IMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ANC92LA058
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
PILOT FACTOR IN THAT THE PROPER GLIDEPATH AND ALTITUDE WAS NOT MAINTAINED. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: INATTENTIVENESS AND SNOW.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
DURING THE IFR APPROACH TO THE AIRPORT, THE FLIGHT HAD BEEN CLEARED FOR THE ILS/DME FOR RUNWAY 8. THE PILOT PERFORMED THE PUBLISHED PROCEDURE TURN AND WAS ESTABLISHED ON THE LOCALIZER AND GLIDE SLOPE AT ABOUT 5.5 MILES DME. THE FLIGHT CONTINUED THE DESCENT AS THE PILOT COMPLETED THE BEFORE LANDING CHECKLIST. AT ABOUT 5 MILES DME, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO CALL THE FSS TO REPORT FINAL APPROACH FIX INBOUND, HOWEVER, HE HAD TO WAIT FOR ANOTHER AIRPLANE TRANSMITTING. THE PILOT THEN CONTACTED THE FSS AND REPORTED 4.5 MILES DME. SHORTLY AFTER THE RADIO CALL, THE PILOT FELT THE AIRPLANE CONTACT THE GROUND. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HIS LAST INSTRUMENT SCAN THAT HE COULD REMEMBER SHOWED THAT HE WAS ON THE GLIDE PATH AND LOCALIZER AT AN ALTITUDE OF 1,250 FEET. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE VISIBILITY WAS ABOUT 100 YARDS AND BLOWING SNOW.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-31 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 May 1992 | Piper PA-31-325 | Independence, California, United States | Cross Country Construction, Inc | Serious injuries | - |
| 28 Apr 1992 | Piper PA-31-350 | Houston, Texas, United States | Winemiller, Eric W. | No injuries | - |
| 7 Mar 1992 | Piper PA-31-350 | Qioquinton, Virginia, United States | Eagle Aero Inc | No injuries | - |
| 19 Mar 1992 | Piper PA-31-350 | Brewer, Maine, United States | North Central Airways, Inc | No injuries | - |
| 17 Jun 1992 | Piper PA-31-350 | Seattle, Washington, United States | Juan Air | No injuries | - |
| 29 Oct 1992 | Piper PA-31-325 | Barranquilla, Colombia | Osmo Inc. | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Feb 1992 | Piper PA-18A-150 | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | John Clark | Minor injuries | - |
| 12 Feb 1992 | Richard C Ballow KITFOX 1 | Valdez, Alaska, United States | Jones, William Marshall | No injuries | - |
| 17 Feb 1992 | Aeronca 7AC | Sitka, Alaska, United States | Diment, Archie G. | No injuries | - |
| 9 Oct 1992 | Champion 7EC | Chugiak, Alaska, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 14 Feb 1992 | Cessna 180 | Shishmaref, Alaska, United States | Sheldon, Robert J. | Serious injuries | - |
| 19 Feb 1992 | Cessna 185F | Pelican, Alaska, United States | Bellair, Inc. | Minor injuries | - |