Piper PA-31 N62851

Summary

On 25 June 1995 at about 23:57 local time, a Piper PA-31 registered N62851 was involved in an accident near Valdez, Alaska, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 June 1995 at 23:57

Classification

Accident

Location

Valdez, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

61.1493, -146.8093

Aircraft

Piper PA-31

Registration

N62851

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Homer → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC95FA086

4 people died.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE PUBLISHED IFR (MISSED APPROACH) PROCEDURE AND ASSURE ADEQUATE ALTITUDE/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 AN INSTRUMENT APPROACH CLEARANCE TO A NONTOWER AIRPORT SURROUNDED BY MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. WEATHER CONDITIONS ON THE GROUND WERE VFR, AND THE PILOT DESCENDED THROUGH AN OVERCAST. THE APPROACH ENVIRONMENT WAS NOT SERVICED BY ANY ATC RADAR FACILITY. THE PILOT DECLARED A MISSED APPROACH TO THE APPROPRIATE FAA FLIGHT SERVICE STATION, AND WAS ADVISED TO CONTACT ARTCC. ARTCC NEVER RECEIVED A RADIO TRANSMISSION FROM THE PILOT. THE AIRPLANE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 6 MILES BEYOND THE AIRPORT, SLIGHTLY TO THE NORTH OF THE EXTENDED RUNWAY CENTERLINE. MISSED APPROACH PROCEDURES WERE FOR AN IMMEDIATE CLIMB, AND THEN A CLIMBING RIGHT TURN TO REVERSE DIRECTION AWAY FROM THE AIRPORT. THE MISSED APPROACH SEGMENT BEGAN 5.2 DME MILES PRIOR TO THE AIRPORT. MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE (MDA) FOR THE APPROACH WAS 4320' MSL (4200' ABOVE THE RUNWAY ELEVATION); IMPACT WITH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN OCCURRED AT ABOUT THE SAME ALTITUDE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.