20030625037319A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna R172K · Skagway, AK · June 25, 2003

Date: June 25, 2003 · 11:05 local
Place: Skagway, AK
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N736QK
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC03FA061
Reported as: Cessna R172K
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,400 total1,000 in this make and model45 in the last 90 days

N736QKRegistration cancelled Oct 25, 2003 · Cessna R172KS/N R1722703 · Built 1977 Airframe modelCessna R172K Engine modelContinental IO-360 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Highway workers witnessed N736QK flying in white out conditions at the summit of white pass. They saw the aircraft emerge from the clouds, strike the mountainside, saw it's wings rock moderately, and heard the engine RPM increase. They lost sight of the aircraft as it re-entered the clouds. 3-4 seconds later they heard the aircraft impact the mountainside, and the engine suddenly quit.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) HIGHWAY WORKERS WITNESSED N736QK FLYING IN WHITE OUT CONDITIONS AT THE SUMMIT OF WHITE PASS. THEY SAW THE AIRCRAFT EMERGE FROM THE CLOUDS, STRIKE THE MOUNTAINSIDE, SAW IT'S WINGS ROCK MODERATELY, AND HEARD THE ENGINE RPM INCREASE. THEY LOST SIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT AS IT RE-ENTERED THE CLOUDS. 3-4 SECONDS LATER THEY HEARD THE AIRCRAFT IMPACT THE MOUNTAINSIDE, AND THE ENGINE SUDDENLY QUIT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ANC03FA061Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportSkagway, AKThe pilot's continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in an in-flight collision with mountainous terrain. Factors associated with the accident were low ceilings, rain, and fog.Jun 25, 2003 · Substantial damage