# Accident 19981025030139A: Cessna 207A, Noorvik, AK, October 25, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: October 25, 1998, 20:00 local time - Place: Noorvik, AK - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Scud Running - Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135) - Operator: EPUA - Location: 66.8309° N, 161.0302° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=66.8309&lon=-161.0302&mi=10 - Aircraft: N9400M, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9400M-2013-12-05) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 207A (registry code 2073605, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-207a) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental IO-520-F (registry code 17237, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-f) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 207A - People aboard: 3 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 2,750 total, 300 in this make and model, 244 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC99LA008](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA008) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981025030139A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ACFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES. (-23)PILOT DEPARTED KIANA, AK ON 14 CFR, PART 135 REVENUE PASSENGER FLIGHT IN NIGHT VMC CONDITIONS. AREA WEATHER FORECAST CALLED FOR VFR CONDITIONS WITH OCCASIONAL SNOW SHOWERS. SNOW SHOWERS WERE ENCOUNTERED ENROUTE TO SELAWIK, AK AND THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO RISING TERRAIN WHILE THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO MANEUVER AWAY FROM THE CONDITIONS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATED BELOW A SAFE ALTITUDE FOR TERRAIN CLEARANCE. (.19)ON OCTOBER 25, 1998, ABOUT 2030 ALASKA STANDARD TIME, A WHEEL EQUIPPED CESSNA 207A AIRPLANE, N9400M, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A COLLISION WITH TERRAIN, ABOUT 7.6 MILES EAST OF NOORVIK, ALASKA. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED ON A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) SCHEDULED PASSENGER FLIGHT UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 135, WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED BY HAGELAND AVIATION SERVICES, INC., ANCHORAGE, ALASKA, AS FLIGHT 915-1. THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT, AND FOUR PASSENGERS, WERE NOT INJURED. ONE PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. DARK NIGHT, AND INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED IN THE AREA OF THE ACCIDENT. A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT THE BOB BAKER MEMORIAL AIRPORT, KIANA, ALASKA, WITH AN INTENDED DESTINATION OF SELAWIK, ALASKA. THE CHIEF PILOT FOR THE OPERATOR REPORTED THE PILOT DEPARTED FOR SELAWIK, WHICH IS 26 MILES SOUTHEAST OF KIANA. AN AREA OF SMALL MOUNTAINS ARE LOCATED BETWEEN THE TWO AIRPORTS. THE PILOT INDICATED A WAVE OF SNOW SHOWERS REDUCED THE VISIBILITY ALONG THE INTENDED ROUTE OF FLIGHT. HE DIVERTED TO THE WEST OF HIS INTENDED ROUTE, AND WAS FLYING ABOUT 1,000 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. IN THE AREA OF HOTHAM PEAK, THE AIRPLANE CAME TO AN ABRUPT HALT WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH SNOW COVERED GROUND ABOUT 900 FEET MSL. THE CLOSEST OFFICIAL WEATHER OBSERVATION STATION IS KOTZEBUE, ALASKA, WHICH IS LOCATED 45 NAUTICAL MILES WEST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. ON OCTOBER 25, 1998, AT 2000, AN AVIATION ROUTINE WEATHER REPORT (METAR) WAS REPORTING IN PART: WIND, 092 DEGREES AT 18 KNOTS; VISIBILITY, 10 STATUTE MILES; CLOUDS AND SKY CONDITION, 1,200 FEET BROKEN, 1,800 FEET BROKEN, 9,500 FEET OVERCAST; TEMPERATURE, 30 DEGREES F; DEW POINT, 28 DEGREES F; ALTIMETER, 29.12 IN HG. (.4) THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT, AND FOUR PASSENGERS, DEPARTED A REMOTE AIRPORT ON A VFR SCHEDULED AIR TAXI FLIGHT DURING DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS OVER SNOW-COVERED TERRAIN. THE PI LOT SAID HE OBTAINED WEATHER INFORMATION FROM HIS HOME COMPUTER, PILOT REPORTS, AND HIS PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS. AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT DEVIATED AROUND AN AREA OF SMALL MOUNTAINS LOCATED BETWEEN THE DEPARTURE AND DESTINATION AIRPORTS. THE PILOT SAID HIS DEVIATION WAS PLANNED TO MAINTAIN A MINIMUM OF 1,000 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, AND BELOW ICING CONDITIONS. DURING THE FLIGHT, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED A SNOW SHOWER. THE PILOT SAID HE DID NOT HAVE ANY OUTSIDE VISUAL REFERENCES TO NAVIGATE BY. HE DEPENDED UPON THE AIRPLANE'S DIRECTIONAL GYRO FOR COURSE INFORMATION, AND SAID THE GYRO ROTATED TO THE LEFT, PLACING THE AIRPLANE NEAR A MOUNTAIN. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH SNOW COVERED TERRAIN ABOUT 900 FEET MSL. PASSENGERS REPORTED THEY COULD NOT SEE THE GROUND, AND WERE NOT AWARE OF ANY PROBLEM UNTIL THE AIRPLANE CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP. AN AREA FORECAST INCLUDED AN AIRMET FOR MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION. THE FORECAST ALSO INCLUDED LIGHT ISOLATED MODERATE RIME ICING IN CLOUDS, AND MARGINAL VFR CEILINGS IN SNOW AND MIST. ## 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 ANC99LA008](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA008), Oct 26, 1998: Cessna 207A (N9400M), Noorvik, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions. Factors in the accident were a dark night and low ceilings. ## Other reports on N9400M (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20130504007189A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130504007189A), May 4, 2013: Cessna 207A (N9400M), Newtok, AK, Substantial damage. Pilot was attempting to land at Newtok, AK. Pilot reported he lined up on a 4NM final and was able to see a building located at airport. Pilot reported… 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.