# Accident 20001222024749A: Piper PA31350, Kavik River, AK, December 22, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 22, 2000, 14:15 local time
- Place: Kavik River, AK
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: HYTA
- Location: 70.4305° N, 149.2894° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=70.4305&lon=-149.2894&mi=10
- Aircraft: N63MB, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N63MB-2002-06-20) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-31-350 (registry code 7103110, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-350) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA31350
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC01LA027](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC01LA027) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20001222024749A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON DECEMBER 22, 2000 THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND THE CHARTERED PA-31 AT THE KAVIK RIVER AIR STRIP WITH TWO PASSENGERS ON BOARD. THE PILOT SAID HE OVERFLEW THE AIR STRIP AT ABOUT 1700 FEET MSL IN PREPARATION FOR LANDING. HE SAID THE NORTH SLOPE TUNDRA SURROUNDING THE STRIP WAS WHITE AND IT WAS PRETTY DARK WHEN HE ARRIVED. AFTER OVERFLYING THE STRIP HE BEGAN HIS DESCENT TO THE WEST NORTH WEST WHERE HE BELIEVED THERE WEREN'T ANY HILLS. HE CONTINUED HIS DESCENT DURING THE DOWNWIND LEG. THE PILOT CONFIGURED THE A/C WITH GEAR DOWN AND 130 KNOTS AND BEGAN HIS BASE LEG. AT SOME POINT SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE PILOT SAID HE REALIZED HE HAD FLOWN INTO IFR CONDITIONS BECAUSE HE COULD SEE THE SNOW IN THE WING TIP STROBE LIGHTS. HE BELIEVES HE PUSHED THE THROTTLES FORWARD AND STARTED PITCHING THE NOSE UP AT THE SAME TIME THE LEFT WING TIP STRUCK THE GROUND. THE LEFT WING WAS TORN FROM THE AIRFRAME. THE REST OF THE A/C CAME TO REST IN THE SNOW, AT AN APPROXIMATE ELEVATION OF 700 FT., APPROX. 4.8 MILES FROM THE CAMP.

## 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 ANC01LA027](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC01LA027), Dec 22, 2000: Piper PA-31-350 (N63MB), Deadhorse, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions. Factors associated with the accident were clouds, fog, dusk light conditions, and the pilot's self-induced pressure to…

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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