# Accident 20170116016479A: Piper PA-32-260, Pilot Point, AK, January 16, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 16, 2017, 15:21 local time
- Place: Pilot Point, AK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: V9VC
- Location: 57.4950° N, 157.5400° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=57.4950&lon=-157.5400&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4261T, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4261T-2022-05-09) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-32-260 (registry code 7103206, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-260) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540 series (registry code 41532, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-32-260
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 12,824 total, 9,873 in this make and model, 67 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC17TA015](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC17TA015) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170116016479A

## Narrative

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

SCHEDULED FLIGHT PLAN WAS FROM DLG TO PTH, IT WAS A 90 MINUTE FLIGHT. ENROUTE JUST AS THEY WERE APPROACHING PNP THE PIC NOTICED SOME TRACE ICE HITTING THE WINDSCREEN, AND AS HE LOOKED SOUTH HE ESTIMATED HE HAD ABOUT 8-10 MILE VISIBILITY AT HIS ALTITUDE OF 800 ? 1,000 FEET AGL HE COULD SEE SOME FOG. HE DECIDED TO LAND AT PNP AND CHECK ON THE WEATHER. HE CALLED THE GRANT AIR AGENT AT PTH AND WAS TOLD THERE WERE OCCASIONAL SNOW FLURRIES, 10 MILES VISIBILITY AND THE CEILING WAS 3,000 ? 4,000 FEET. HE ASKED THE PASSENGER IF SHE KNEW SOMEONE IN PNP SHE COULD STAY THE NIGHT WITH, SHE SAID SHE DID NOT. THE PIC SAID THEY WOULD HEAD SOUTH TOWARDS PTH BUT IF THEY ENCOUNTERED WEATHER THEY WOULD TURN AROUND AND RETURN TO DLG. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED PNP AT 1505 HOURS HEADING SOUTH. ABOUT 8 MILES SOUTH OF PNP AT AN ALTITUDE OF 500 FEET AGL THE PIC AGAIN NOTICED TRACE ICING ON THE WINDSCREEN. HE IMMEDIATELY TURNED AROUND TO HEAD FOR DLG. AS SOON AS HE TURNED AROUND HE WAS HAVING TROUBLE MAINTAINING ALTITUDE, AND THE ENGINE WAS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. HE TURNED ON THE CARB HEAT AND CYCLED THE FUEL PUMPS. AT THAT POINT HE WAS AT ABOUT 400 AGL, THE AIRCRAFT FELT HEAVY AND SLUGGISH AND NOW THE WINDSCREEN WAS ICED OVER. HE WAS LOOKING OUT THE SIDE WINDOW FOR A PLACE TO LAND AND SAW ICE ON THE LEADING EDGE OF THE WING. HE LOCATED A SPOT TO LAND, AND ATTEMPTED A NORMAL LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SLUGGISH AND WOULD NOT FLAIR, THEY LANDED HARD AT 1521 HOURS. TO THE BEST OF HIS MEMORY THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR WAS RIPPED OFF THE AIRCRAFT, THE NOSE GEAR EITHER COLLAPSED OR WAS RIPPED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE PROP STUCK THE GROUND AS DID THE RIGHT WING DAMAGING BOTH. THE PIC AND THE PASSENGER WERE PICKED UP BY THE COAST GUARD AT APPROXIMATELY 1830.

## 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 ANC17TA015](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC17TA015), Jan 17, 2017: Piper PA-32 (N4261T), Pilot Point, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's continued flight into known icing conditions, which resulted in structural icing and a forced landing on icy, snow-covered terrain.

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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