# Accident 19980131000749A: Cessna 208A, Port Heiden, AK, January 31, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 31, 1998, 17:00 local time
- Place: Port Heiden, AK
- Airport: Port Heiden
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: PNSA
- Location: 56.9591° N, 158.6334° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at PORT HEIDEN (PTH), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=56.9591&lon=-158.6334&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9316F, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9316F-1998-09-11) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 208 (registry code 2073702, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-208) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 208A
- Reported engine: PWA PT6A11
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 15,000 total, 4,500 in this make and model, 226 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980131000749A

## Narrative

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

ENCOUNTERED FREEZING RAIN AFTER TAKEOFF. ICE ON WINDSHIELD. MISSED APPROACH. TWICE. ICED UP. CRASHED ON FROZEN LAKE (.4)THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED UNFORECAST FREEZING PRECIPITATION AND BEGAN RAPIDLY ACCUMULATING ICE ABOUT FIVE MILES FROM THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT WHILE IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.  THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH ICE PROTECTION EQUIPMENT EXCEPT FOR PITOT HEAT AND WINDSHIELD HEAT.  THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT, BUT WAS UNABLE TO ALIGN THE AIRPLANE FOR LANDING DUE TO THE ICE OBSCURED WINDSCREEN, AND PRESTALL BUFFET WAS ENCOUNTERED WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS BANKED.  THE AIRPLANE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE WITH FULL ENGINE POWER, WHILE FLYING AT THE BEST RATE OF CLIMB AIRSPEED.  THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO FLARE PRIOR TO LANDING ON FROZEN TUNDRA, AND THE LEFT WING STALLED.  THE PILOT DID NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE OFFICIAL WEATHER PRIOR TO DEPARTURE.  THE NOTIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONTRACTED OBSERVER TOOK HIS OBSERVATIN FROM A LOCATION ABOUT FIVE MILES SOUTH OF THE OFFICIAL WEATHER STATION AT THE AIRPORT. THE FAA AWOS-3 WAS INOPERATIVE.  THE PILOT ESTIMATED THE DEPARTURE WEATHER TO BE A HIGH CEILING AND VISIBILITY OF 3 TO 4 MILES.  THE STATION MANAGER EST  IMATED THE CEILING AT 600 TO 700 FEET, AND A VISIBILITY OF 3 TO 4 MILES. (-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTED PTH, ICED UP, ATTEMPTED TO RETURN AND WAS UNABLE TO MAKE PTH. LANDED SHORT DUE TO HEAVY STRUCTURED ICE. WE ARE WORKING WITH THE COMPANY CONCERNING OPERATIONAL CONTROL.

## NTSB investigation

None matched to this report by aircraft and date. Search the NTSB's own records: https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/basic-search

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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