Cessna 207A N9400M

Summary

On 4 May 2013 at about 21:40 local time, a Cessna 207A registered N9400M, operated by Hageland Aviation, was involved in an accident near Newtok, Alaska, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

4 May 2013 at 21:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Newtok, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Newtok (PAEW)

Coordinates

60.9392, -164.6414

Aircraft

Cessna 207A

Registration

N9400M

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Hageland Aviation

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bethel → Newtok

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC13CA042

4 people had minor injuries.

The pilot's continued flight into adverse weather and his failure to maintain clearance from terrain while on approach in flat light conditions. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's delayed decision to initiate a go-around.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of a scheduled commuter flight reported that he was about 4 miles north of the destination airport and operating in VFR weather conditions. According to the operator, as the flight approached the airport, the visibility was reduced due to fog. The pilot then initiated a gradual descent over an area of featureless, snow-covered terrain, which made it difficult to discern any topographical terrain features due to flat light conditions. The operator reported that the pilot could see his destination airport in the distance but that, during the descent, he became “uncomfortable” with the approach, and he initiated a go-around. The airplane subsequently collided with a snow-covered frozen river, about 1 mile from the approach end of the airport, sustaining substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane. One of the passengers aboard the accident airplane wrote, in part, “I looked out the window to my right to see if I could see the airport and did not, it was too foggy.” The operator reported that the accident flight was the pilot’s second attempt to reach the destination airport that day. During the previous flight that morning, poor weather conditions prevailed, so the pilot returned to his departure airport to wait for weather conditions to improve.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.