What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 02-21-2000, N219CS, a PA-31-3T piloted byprivacy data omittedwas flying the GPS runway 8 approach to kotebue, Alaska. He stated the approach 40 miles northwest of the airport at 9500 feet. He started a decent of 1500 feet per minute to the final approach segment. He was monitoring both the flight service frequency and AWOS. He reported 10 miles out disengaged the auto pilot to bring in more course correction. He was inside the final approach fix when he decided to tune in the ILS localizer as a back up. At the same time checking the AWOS one more time. Shortly after he impacted the ground, twice, then to a stop exactly 3 miles (statue) from the runway.(.4)the airplane collided with frozen pack ice, three miles from the airport, during a GPS instrument approach. Instrument conditions of 3/4 mile visibility in snow and fog were reported at the time of the accident. The pilot stated that he began a steep descent with the autopilot engaged. He indicated that as the airplane crossed the final approach course, the autopilot turned the airplane inbound toward the airport. He continued the steep descent, noted the airplane had overshot the course, and the autopilot was n ot correcting very well. He disengaged the autopilot and manually increased the correction heading to intercept the final approach course. During the descent he completed the landing checklist, extended the landing gear and flaps, and was tuning both the communications and navigation radios. The pilot said he looked up from tuning the radios to see the sea ice coming up too quickly to react, and impacted terrain. The pilot relayed there were no preaccident anomalies with the airplane, and that he 'did not stay ahead of the airplane.'
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 02-21-2000, N219CS, A PA-31-3T PILOTED BY^PRIVACY DATA OMIT^WAS FLYING THE GPS RUNWAY 8 APPROACH TO KOTEBUE, ALASKA. HE STATED THE APPROACH 40 MILES NORTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT AT 9500 FEET. HE STARTED A DECENT OF 1500 FEET PER MINUTE TO THE FINAL APPROACH SEGMENT. HE WAS MONITORING BOTH THE FLIGHT SERVICE FREQUENCY AND AWOS. HE REPORTED 10 MILES OUT DISENGAGED THE AUTO PILOT TO BRING IN MORE COURSE CORRECTION. HE WAS INSIDE THE FINAL APPROACH FIX WHEN HE DECIDED TO TUNE IN THE ILS LOCALIZER AS A BACK UP. AT THE SAME TIME CHECKING THE AWOS ONE MORE TIME. SHORTLY AFTER HE IMPACTED THE GROUND, TWICE, THEN TO A STOP EXACTLY 3 MILES (STATUE) FROM THE RUNWAY.(.4)THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH FROZEN PACK ICE, THREE MILES FROM THE AIRPORT, DURING A GPS INSTRUMENT APPROACH. INSTRUMENT CONDITIONS OF 3/4 MILE VISIBILITY IN SNOW AND FOG WERE REPORTED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE BEGAN A STEEP DESCENT WITH THE AUTOPILOT ENGAGED. HE INDICATED THAT AS THE AIRPLANE CROSSED THE FINAL APPROACH COURSE, THE AUTOPILOT TURNED THE AIRPLANE INBOUND TOWARD THE AIRPORT. HE CONTINUED THE STEEP DESCENT, NOTED THE AIRPLANE HAD OVERSHOT THE COURSE, AND THE AUTOPILOT WAS N OT CORRECTING VERY WELL. HE DISENGAGED THE AUTOPILOT AND MANUALLY INCREASED THE CORRECTION HEADING TO INTERCEPT THE FINAL APPROACH COURSE. DURING THE DESCENT HE COMPLETED THE LANDING CHECKLIST, EXTENDED THE LANDING GEAR AND FLAPS, AND WAS TUNING BOTH THE COMMUNICATIONS AND NAVIGATION RADIOS. THE PILOT SAID HE LOOKED UP FROM TUNING THE RADIOS TO SEE THE SEA ICE COMING UP TOO QUICKLY TO REACT, AND IMPACTED TERRAIN. THE PILOT RELAYED THERE WERE NO PREACCIDENT ANOMALIES WITH THE AIRPLANE, AND THAT HE 'DID NOT STAY AHEAD OF THE AIRPLANE.'
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N219CS · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.