Bellanca 8KCAB N5038K

Summary

On 4 May 2007 at about 03:10 local time, a Bellanca 8KCAB registered N5038K was involved in an accident near Girdwood, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

4 May 2007 at 03:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Girdwood, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

61.1025, -148.9983

Aircraft

Bellanca 8KCAB

Registration

N5038K

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Anchorage → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC07LA036

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain sufficient altitude/clearance from terrain while maneuvering, which resulted in an in-flight collision with a glacier. Factors contributing to the accident were snow-covered terrain, and flat light conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was flying over a group of hikers/skiers that were on a remote glacier. After a second pass over the group, about 80 feet agl, the airplane continued away from the group, but collided with the ice and snow-covered surface of the glacier and overturned. The skiers gave aid to the pilot and called for rescue personnel. The witness reported that the weather on the glacier at the time was an overcast sky, and a ceiling of about 600 feet. He also said there was flat light conditions and a haze. The pilot reported that when he flew over the ski members on the glacier, he had a visual horizon and could see the sky. He said he thought he was about 200 feet above the ground. During a second pass, the lighting conditions changed from bright to hazy, and the pilot indicated he probably was looking at the snow covered surface of the glacier. He said the airplane was descending, and he thought the glacier was also descending.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.