# Accident 19980530011391A: Cessna 172RG, Juneau, AK, May 30, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: May 30, 1998, 16:11 local time - Place: Juneau, AK - Damage: Destroyed - Collision: Midair collision, first aircraft - Phase of flight: Normal Cruise - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 58.5809° N, 134.7709° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=58.5809&lon=-134.7709&mi=10 - Aircraft: N4948V, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4948V-1998-09-11) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 172RG (registry code 2072438, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172rg) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172RG - Reported engine: LYC O360F1A6 - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 2 - Pilot flight hours: 433 total, 127 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC98FA061](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98FA061) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980530011391A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ACFT COLLIDED IN MID AIR WITH N187EH, CRASHED AND WAS DESTROYED AND THE 2 POB SUFFERED FATAL INJ., JUNEAU, AK. (.4) THE AIR TOUR HELICOPTER WAS AT 2,100 FEET MSL, AND HAD JUST CROSSED A SALT WATER CHANNEL WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH THE AIRPLANE. THE HELICOPTER LANDED WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, AND ONE INJURED PASSENGER. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT IMPACTED WATER IN THE CHANNEL, AND BOTH PILOT-RATED OCCUPANTS WERE FATALLY INJURED. AN 18-INCH PORTION OF THE AIRPLANE'S RIGHT WING REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE HELICOPTER. NONE OF THE OCCUPANTS OF THE HELICOPTER SAW THE AIRPLANE PRIOR TO COLLISION. THE HELICOPTER WAS ON A STANDARD TOUR ROUTE UTILIZED BY THE COMPANY, AND PUBLISHED IN AN FAA ADVISORY PAMPHLET WHICH THE AIRPLANE OCCUPANTS ALSO HAD ON BOARD. THE COLLISION OCCURRED AT A LOCATION WHERE THE ADVISED TRAFFIC ROUTE INBOUND TO THE JUNEAU AIRPORT CROSSED THE HELICOPTER'S AIR TOUR ROUTE. THE HELICOPTER HAD COMPLETED CROSSING THE CHANNEL, AND WAS 100 FEET ABOVE THE UPPER LIMIT OF THE RECOMMENDED ALTITUDE FOR THE CROSSING. THE AIRPLANE WAS 100 FEET ABOVE THE LOWER LIMIT OF THE RECOMMENDED ALTITUDE FOR AIRCRAFT TRAVELING WEST. THIS AREA HAS A HIGH VOLUME OF VFR AIR TOUR, AIR TAXI, ANDGENERAL AVIATION TRAFFIC. THE AREA IS UNCONTROLLED, CLASS G, AIRSPACE, WITH NO RADAR COVERAGE. THE HELICOPTER PILOT DESCRIBED THE VISIBILITY AS GOOD. THE HELICOPTER PILOT MADE TRAFFIC ADVISORY RADIO TRANSMISSIONS ON THE COMMON TRAFFIC ADVISORY FREQUENCY (CTAF) FOR THE AREA OF THE COLLISION. THIS FREQUENCY WAS PUBLISHED IN THE ALASKA SUPPLEMENT, THE FAA ADVISORY PAMPHLET FOR THE AREA, AND THE VFR SECTIONAL AERONAUTICAL CHART. THE AIRPLANE'S RADIOS WERE NOT TUNED TO THIS FREQUENCY. THE HELICOPTER WAS ILLUMINATED WITH PULSATING LANDING LIGHTS, AND HIGH VISIBILITY STROBES. THE AIRPLANE WAS CONFIGURED WITH HIGH VISIBILITY STROBE LIGHTS ON THE WING TIPS, AND TWO, NOSE-MOUNTED LANDING/TAXI LIGHTS, AND A RED ANTI-COLLISION BEACON ON THE TAIL. THE CONTROL SWITCHES FOR THE ANTI-COLLISION BEACON WAS FOUND 'ON.' THE CONTROL SWITCH FOR THE STROBE LIGHTS WAS FOUND IN THE 'OFF' POSITION. THE POSITION OF THE LANDING/TAXI LIGHTS COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. NEITHER PILOT IN THE AIRPLANE HAD ANY RECORD OF FLIGHT EXPERIENCE IN THE JUNEAU AREA. (-23) N4948V, A CESSNA 172 RG, BEING OPERATED ON FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION BUSINESS BY AN FAA EMPLOYEE, DEPARTED PETERSBURG, ALASKA AT 1521 ADT. THE AIRPLANE WAS THREE MILES SOUTH OF JUNEAU, TRANSITIONING NORTH TO THE JUNEAU AIRPORT, ALONG THE EAST SIDE OF A COASTAL WATERWAY WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH N187EH, AN AEROSPATIALE AS-350 HELICOPTER AT 2100 FEET AGL. PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION RESULTS INDICATE THAT THE PILOT OF THE CESSNA TOOK EVASIVE ACTION AT THE LAST SECOND, POSSIBLY ALTERING THE SEVERITY OF THE COLLISION, HOWEVER, THE IMPACT TORE OFF NEARLY TWO FEET OF THE OUTBOARD WING SECTION CAUSING THE AIRPLANE TO LOSE CONTROL AND SPIRAL INTO THE TIDAL AREA BELOW. ## 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 ANC98FA061](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98FA061), May 31, 1998: Cessna 172RG (N4948V), Juneau, AK, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The failure of both command pilots to maintain an adequate lookout to see and avoid each other's aircraft. Factors associated with the accident were the pilot's failure to follow published advisory… ## Other reports on N4948V (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19960803033699I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960803033699I), Aug 3, 1996: Cessna 172RG (N4948V), Anchorage, AK, Minor damage. Narrative: aircraft nosewheel failed to extend for landing. Pilot landed without injuries or substantial damage. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.