# Accident 20030302002949A: Cessna 208B, Kotzebue, AK, March 2, 2003 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: March 2, 2003, 15:04 local time - Place: Kotzebue, AK - Airport: Ralph Wien Memorial - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Final Approach - Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135) - Operator: FXTA - Location: 66.8847° N, 162.5986° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=66.8847&lon=-162.5986&mi=10 - Aircraft: N205BA, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N205BA-2016-03-28) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 208B (registry code 2073701, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-208b) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-6 series (registry code 52150, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6a-6-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 208B - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 25,000 total, 4,000 in this make and model, 100 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC03LA029](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC03LA029) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030302002949A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON MARCH 2, 2003, ABOUT 1504 ALASKA STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 208 AIRPLANE, N205BA, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH ICE-COVERED TERRAIN DURING THE FINAL APPROACH PHASE OF A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) LANDING, ABOUT 1/4 MILE FROM THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 08 AT THE RALPH WIEN MEMORIAL AIRPORT, KOTZEBUE, ALASKA. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED BY BERING AIR, NOME, ALASKA, AS A VFR CROSS-COUNTRY POSITIONING FLIGHT UNDER TITLE 14, CFR PART 91, WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT CERTIFICATED PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE AIRPORT. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT THE SHUNGNAK AIRPORT, SHUNGNAK, ALASKA, AT 1358, AND A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS FOR THE OPERATOR REPORTED THE AIRPLANE WAS RETURNING TO KOTZEBUE WITHOUT PASSENGERS AT THE CONCLUSION OF AN ON-DEMAND AIR TAXI FLIGHT. DURING A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD (NTSB) INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE (IIC), ON MARCH 3, 2003, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHEN HE DEPARTED FROM SHUNGNAK, THE VISIBILITY AT KOTZEBUE WAS GREATER THAN 6 MILES. AS HE NEARED KOTZEBUE, THE VISIBILITY HAD DECREASED AND SEVERAL AIRPLANES IN THE AREA WERE REQUESTING SPECIAL VFR CLEARANCES INTO THE CLASS E AIRSPACE. HE REQUESTED A SPECIAL VFR CLEARANCE BUT HAD TO HOLD OUTSIDE THE AIRSPACE FOR OTHER VFR AND IFR TRAFFIC. ONCE HE WAS CLEARED TO ENTER THE AIRSPACE, THE PILOT SAID HE ESTABLISHED A GPS WAYPOINT 4 MILES FROM THE RUNWAY AND DESCENDED TO 1,000 FEET. HE CONTINUED INBOUND AND DESCENDED TO 300 FEET. AT 1 MILE FROM THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT SAID HE LOOKED UP FROM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BUT COULD NOT SEE THE AIRPORT. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE WAS IN A WHITEOUT CONDITION. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE SNOW-COVERED SEA ICE, SHORT OF THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD. AT 1453, AN AVIATION ROUTINE WEATHER REPORT (METAR) AT KOTZEBUE WAS REPORTING, IN PART: WIND, 080 DEGREES (TRUE) AT 26 KNOTS; VISIBILITY, 1 STATUTE MILE, RUNWAY 08 VISIBILITY VARIABLE FROM 5,500 TO GREATER THAN 6,000 FEET IN LIGHT SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW; CLOUDS AND SKY CONDITION, FEW AT 1,300 FEET, 2,000 FEET BROKEN, 2,700 FEET OVERCAST; TEMPERATURE, 30 DEGREES F; DEW POINT, 29 DEGREES F; ALTIMETER, 29.51 INHG; REMARKS, PEAK WIND 080 DEGREES AT 33 KNOTS AT 1427, SNOW BEGAN AT 1434. AT 1501, A SPECIAL AVIATION WEATHER OBSERVATION STATED, IN PART:WIND, 080 DEGREES (TRUE) AT 26 KNOTS; VISIBILITY, 3/4 STATUTE MILE, RUNWAY 08 VISIBILITY VARIABLE FROM 3,500 TO GREATER THAN 6,000 FEET IN LIGHT SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW; CLOUDS AND SKY CONDITION, 1,100 FEET BROKEN, 2,000 FEET OVERCAST; TEMPERATURE, 30 DEGREES F; DEW POINT, 29 DEGREES F; ALTIMETER, 29.50 INHG. AT 1507, A SPECIAL WEATHER OBSERVATION STATED, IN PART: WIND, 080 DEGREES (TRUE) AT 27 KNOTS; VISIBILITY, 1/2 STATUTE MILE, RUNWAY 08 VISIBILITY VARIABLE FROM 2,800 TO 4,500 FEET IN SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW; CLOUDS AND SKY CONDITION, 700 FEET BROKEN, 1,800 FEET OVERCAST; TEMPERATURE, 30 DEGREES F; DEW POINT, 29 DEGREES F; ALTIMETER, 29.50 INHG. AT 1511, VISIBILITY FOR RUNWAY 08 WAS REPORTED TO BE 2,400 TO 3,500 FEET IN SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW. AT 1545, ANOTHER SPECIAL WEATHER OBSERVATION STATED, IN PART: WIND, 080 DEGREES (TRUE) AT 29 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 34 KNOTS; VISIBILITY, 1/4 STATUTE MILE, RUNWAY 08 VISIBILITY VARIABLE FROM 2,400 TO 3,500 FEET IN HEAVY SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW; CLOUDS AND SKY CONDITION, INDEFINITE CEILING WITH A VERTICAL VISIBILITY OF 400 FEET; TEMPERATURE, 30 DEGREES F; DEW POINT, 30 DEGREES F; ALTIMETER, 29.48 INHG. (-23) ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DURING A SPECIAL VFR APPROACH TO RWY 8L AT THE KOTZEBUE AIRPORT, MR. BORCHARDT TUNED HIS GPS RECEIVER FOR A 4 MILE FIX OFF THE END OF RWY 8L AND DESCENDED TO 1000 FEET. AFTER ARRIVING AT THE 4 MILE FIX MR. BORCHARDT DESCENDED TO 300 FEET. AT ABOUT ONE MILE OUT FROM THE RUNWAY, MR. BORCHARDT'S THOUGHT HE SHOULD SEE THE RUNWAY, BUT WAS UNABLE BECAUSE OF THE FLAT LIGHT AND WHITE OUT CONDITIONS. AT ABOUT 7/10 OF A MILE MR. BORCHARDT'S AIRCRAFT CRASHED ON THE SNOW-COVERED SEA ICE. MR. BORCHARDT WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT AND RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES AND THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. ## 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 ANC03LA029](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC03LA029), Mar 2, 2003: Cessna 208 (N205BA), Kotzebue, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions, and his failure to maintain altitude/clearance above the ground, resulting in a collision with snow and ice covered terrain… ## Other reports on N205BA (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20090309046839I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090309046839I), Mar 9, 2009: Cessna 208B (N205BA), Golovin, AK, Minor damage. Aircraft landed at Golovin Airport on a part 91 repositioning flight with a strong crosswind. The aircraft slid off the side of the icy runway while taxiing… - [Incident 20050321006329I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050321006329I), Mar 21, 2005: Cessna 208B (N205BA), Nome, AK, Minor damage. (-23) [privacy data omitted] on 03-21-05 at 1637 local time, this CE-208 was taxiing across an icy ramp in Nome Alaska when the wind pushed the aircraft across… 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.