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20040102000469A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-31-350 · Koyukuk, AK · January 2, 2004

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
January 2, 2004 · 16:30 local
Place
Koyukuk, AK
Phase of flight
Scud Running
Operating rules
Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator
FWRA
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N45008
NTSB investigation
NTSBANC04LA018
Reported as
Piper PA31350
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
5,300 total1,400 in this make and model350 in the last 90 days
N45008Registration cancelled Sep 23, 2004 · Piper PA-31-350S/N 31-8052167 · Built 1980Airframe modelPiper PA-31-350Engine modelLycoming TI0-540 seriesTurbo-prop

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) While preparing to depart from the galena, AK airport the pilot was advised by the company agent in galena that the weather in Koyukuk, AK. Was "foggy". The airman elected to attempt the flight in an effort to go the extra mile in helping the financilly stressed company recover from recent financial difficulties. The company had failed to make payroll for the three weeks preceding the accident and the pilot was aware that this flight could generate an additional $900.00. Upon arriving in the vicinity of the Koyukuk, AK. Airport the airman encountered and continued into extremely poor visibility while operating very near the frozen surface of the yukon river in an attempt to reach the Koyukuk, AK. Airport. He entered an area of visibility of approximately 600 feet and attempted to reverse course and return to the point of departure. When he banked the aircraft to the left to initiate the turn the left wing struck the frozen river surface. privacy data omitted Fairbanks FSDO accident log #5.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) WHILE PREPARING TO DEPART FROM THE GALENA, AK AIRPORT THE PILOT WAS ADVISED BY THE COMPANY AGENT IN GALENA THAT THE WEATHER IN KOYUKUK, AK. WAS "FOGGY". THE AIRMAN ELECTED TO ATTEMPT THE FLIGHT IN AN EFFORT TO GO THE EXTRA MILE IN HELPING THE FINANCILLY STRESSED COMPANY RECOVER FROM RECENT FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES. THE COMPANY HAD FAILED TO MAKE PAYROLL FOR THE THREE WEEKS PRECEDING THE ACCIDENT AND THE PILOT WAS AWARE THAT THIS FLIGHT COULD GENERATE AN ADDITIONAL $900.00. UPON ARRIVING IN THE VICINITY OF THE KOYUKUK, AK. AIRPORT THE AIRMAN ENCOUNTERED AND CONTINUED INTO EXTREMELY POOR VISIBILITY WHILE OPERATING VERY NEAR THE FROZEN SURFACE OF THE YUKON RIVER IN AN ATTEMPT TO REACH THE KOYUKUK, AK. AIRPORT. HE ENTERED AN AREA OF VISIBILITY OF APPROXIMATELY 600 FEET AND ATTEMPTED TO REVERSE COURSE AND RETURN TO THE POINT OF DEPARTURE. WHEN HE BANKED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE LEFT TO INITIATE THE TURN THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE FROZEN RIVER SURFACE. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ FAIRBANKS FSDO ACCIDENT LOG #5.

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 ANC04LA018Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportKoyukuk, AKThe pilot's continued flight into adverse weather conditions, and his failure to maintain clearance from terrain, which resulted in an in-flight collision with terrain. Factors associated with the accident were fog and whiteout weather conditions.Jan 2, 2004 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N45008 · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 20001221026539INormal Cruise · Galena, AK(-23) ALO12001B0819 at 3,000' and cruise phase of flight while enroute to Galena, Alaska, the #3 cylinder of the left engine separated from the engine case, which resulted in an inflight fire. The engine was feathered and shut down. Approx. 2 minutes later,…Dec 21, 2000 · Minor damage