# Accident 19970307002589A: Amtr SX300, Sitka, AK, March 7, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 7, 1997, 14:11 local time
- Place: Sitka, AK
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 56.7292° N, 134.9993° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=56.7292&lon=-134.9993&mi=10
- Aircraft: N357SX, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N357SX-1998-08-17) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Buesing Thomas H SX 300 (registry code 05612WJ, https://openairdocs.org/model/buesing-thomas-h-sx-300) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR SX300
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 4,000 total, 1,050 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC97FA031](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC97FA031) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970307002589A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

PILOT REPORTED ENGINE OUT AND DITCHING ON WATER. (.4)THE HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED AS AN IFR CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT OVER MOUNTAINOUS/COASTAL TERRAIN. WHILE CRUISING AT 14,000 FT, ABOUT 19 MILES FROM THE NEAREST AIRPORT, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED A LOW ENGINE POWER CONDITION. HE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY, & WAS GIVEN VECTORS TO THE AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE WAS CAPABLE OF GLIDING ABOUT 24 MILES FROM 14,000 FT, BUT WAS DITCHED IN THE OCEAN, ABOUT 5 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT. THE OCCUPANTS DID NOT EGRESS FROM THE AIRPLANE BEFORE IT SANK. THE AIRPLANE ENGINE HAD A RAM AIR/ALTERNATE AIR BOX ATTACHED TO THE FUEL CONTROL SERVO WHICH CONTROLLED THE ENGINE AIR SOURCE. RAM AIR WAS UNHEATED & UNFILTERED, & WAS TO BE USED WHEN OPERATING IN CLEAR/DRY AIR CONDITIONS. ALTERNATE AIR WAS HEATED & FILTERED, & WAS TO BE USED DURING AN ENGINE EMERGENCY, TAKEOFF & LANDING, WHEN FLYING IN DUSTY AIR, OR WHEN IN CONDITIONS WHERE INLET ICING COULD BE EXPECTED (VISUAL MOISTURE & TEMPERATURES OF 40 DEG F OR BELOW). THE AIRPLANE'S AIR CONTROL WAS FOUND IN THE RAM AIR POSITION. WEATHER CONDITIONS NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE INCLUDED A TEMPERATURE & DEW POINT OF 35 DEG WITH SNOW & ICE PELLETS. U                          PPER AIR CONDITIONS NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE INCLUDED A TEMPERATURES & DEW POINT OF 35 DEG WITH SNOW & ICE PELLETS. UPPER AIR CONDITIONS ALONG THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT INCLUDED TEMPERATURES BETWEEN -28 TO -45 DEG C, & HUMIDITY LEVELS BETWEEN 69 & 81 PERCENT.  AN AIRMET HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR THE AREA.  IT INCLUDED A CAUTION FOR LIGHT & TEMPORARY MODERATE ICING IN CLOUDS & IN PRECIPITATION FROM 1,000 FT TO 12,000 FT.  THE FREEZING LEVEL WAS 1,000 FT.  THE PILOT WAS PROVIDED A PIREP THAT INDICATED A TRACE OF ICE HAD BEEN ENCOUNTERED IN THE AREA.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ANC97FA031](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC97FA031), Mar 7, 1997: Buesing SX-300 (N357SX), Sitka, AK, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to properly evaluate the presence of icing conditions, and his failure to comply with procedures to use alternate engine air in icing conditions. Factors relating to the accident…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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