# Incident 20170102005789I: Piper PA-31-350, Kobuk, AK, January 2, 2017

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 2, 2017, 09:50 local time
- Place: Kobuk, AK
- Airport: Kobuk
- Damage: No damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: EPUA
- Location: 66.9123° N, 156.8973° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at KOBUK (OBU), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=66.9123&lon=-156.8973&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3516A, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3516A) (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 PA-31-350
- Reported engine: LYCOMING TI0-540 SER
- People aboard: 7
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 4,000 total
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170102005789I

## Narrative

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

THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED SEVERE ICING APPROXIMATELY 80 MILES EAST OF KOTZEBUE, ENROUTE TO KOBUK.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN MINIMUM IFR ALTITUDE DUE TO ICE ACCUMULATION AND HAD TO TURN TO THE SOUTH, TOWARDS LOWER TERRAIN, WHERE EVENTUALLY THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED LOW ENOUGH TO SHED ICE AND MAINTAIN VISUAL CONDITIONS.  THE AIRCRAFT THEN PROCEEDED VFR BACK TO THE ORIGIN (KOTZEBUE).  DURING THE EMERGENCY, AT IFR ENROUTE ALTITUDE, THE PIC WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN RADIO COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTLY WITH ATC DUE TO LACK OF COMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE IN THIS AREA.

OCCASIONAL MODERATE ICING WAS FORECAST FOR THE AREA.

THE AIRCRAFT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN RELEASED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE GENERAL OPERATIONS MANUAL RISK ASSESSMENT PROCEDURE FOR CATEGORY 2, D: "NO AWOS - THIS WOULD INDICATE THAT THERE IS NOT ANY OFFICIAL WEATHER FROM AN APPROVED FAA SOURCE ON THE FIELD".  THIS WOULD HAVE INCREASED THE RISK CATEGORY FOR THE OPERATION, HOWEVER, IT WOULD NOT HAVE PREVENTED RELEASE.  THE REASON FOR NON-COMPLIANCE WITH THEIR PROCEDURE IS DUE TO MISINTERPRETATION OF 135.213(B), WHICH WAS ALSO DISCOVERED AS A RESULT OF THIS INVESTIGATION.

## Other reports on N3516A (3)

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

- [Incident 20040628012019I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040628012019I), Jun 28, 2004: Piper PA31350 (N3516A), Nome, AK. (-23) [privacy data omitted] pilot cycled gear down on approach and gear indication lights showed left gear not down. He notified Nome radio. Cycled gear…
- [Incident 19981223042429I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981223042429I), Dec 23, 1998: Piper PA31350 (N3516A), Friday Harbor, WA, Minor damage. (-5) Pilot heard the left engine propeller striking an object during engine start. Pilot shut down the engine. He discovered that a baggage cart had rolled on…
- [Incident 19800118015109I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19800118015109I), Jan 18, 1980: Piper PA31350 (N3516A), Logan, UT. Unreliable navigation signals and communications due to arcing spark plug lead.

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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