# Accident 19980422007419A: Cessna T207A, Scammon Bay, AK, April 22, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 22, 1998, 11:30 local time
- Place: Scammon Bay, AK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Scud Running
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: EUPA
- Location: 61.7907° N, 165.9600° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.7907&lon=-165.9600&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7438U, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7438U-2018-03-07) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna T207A (registry code 2073614, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-t207a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA T207A
- Reported engine: CONT IO520F
- People aboard: 5
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 18,000 total, 800 in this make and model, 156 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC98LA040](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA040) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980422007419A

## Narrative

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

BELIEVED SAW AIRPORT. A CREEK BED. WENT AROUND AND COLLIDED WITH SNOW COVERED RISING TERRAIN IN WHITEOUT CONDITION. (.4)A VFR CROSS-COUNTRY AIR TAXI FLIGHT WITH SIX PASSENGERS DEPARTED FOR A REMOTE VILLAGE.  THE PILOT HAD PREVIOUSLY FLOWN ALONG THE ACCIDENT ROUTE THAT TRANSITED A MOUNTAINOUS AREA.  LOW CLOUDS WERE PRESENT OVER THE MOUNTAINS, AND THE PILOT UTILIZED A MOUNTAIN PASS TO TRANSIT THE AREA ABOUT 200 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND.  HE DECIDED THAT ROUTE WAS NOT SUITABLE FOR THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT WITH ANY PASSENGERS.  DURING THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT, THE PILOT PROCEED EAST OF THE PREVIOUSLY UTILIZED MOUNTAIN PASS.  THE FLIGHT HOWEVER, STILL NECESSITATED TRANSITING AN AREA OF LOW HILLS.  AS THE FLIGHT WAS APPROACHING THE DESTINATIONS, SNOW COVERED TERRAIN WAS RISING TOWARD LOW CLOUDS OVER THE MOUNTAINS.  THE PILOT OBSERVED WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS THE APPROACH END OF THE DESTINATION AIRPORT, AND BEGAN A DESCENT.  THED APPARENT RUNWAY WAS ACTUALLY A CREEK BOTTOM.  THE PILOT BEGAN A TURN, AND OBSERVED RISING TERRAIN.  HE STOPPED THE TURN AND APPLIED FULL POWER.  THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH RISING TERRAIN IN A WHITEOUT CONDITION, ABOUT 900 FEET MSL.  A PASSENGER IN THE AIRPLANE REPORTED THAT ABOU  T 10 MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE, THE AIRPLANE ENTERED AN AREA OF FOG AT AN ALTITUDE OF 3,000 FEET MSL. HIS VIEW OF THE GROUND DISAPPEARED, AND THE AREA AROUND THE AIRPLANE WAS COMPLETELY WHITE.  ABOUT 5 MINUTES AFTER ENTERING THE FOG, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH SNOW COVERED TERRAIN.                   (-23) SEE NARRATIVE #ANC98LA040

## 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 ANC98LA040](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA040), Apr 22, 1998: Cessna 207A (N7438U), Scammon Bay, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions. Factors in the accident were low ceilings, and whiteout conditions.

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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