What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft departed anc for paeh at about 0911. At the time of departure, the most recent METAR from paeh reported 10 sm visibility and cloud ceilings at 800 ft AGL. Crew received updated weather enroute and held at rrlnd for weather to improve.
At 1102, the flight crew requested and was subsequently cleared by the controller for the RNAV runway 15 approach. At that time the paeh AWOS reported 3 miles visibility, mist, and a broken ceiling at 300 ft AGL. At 1114, the crew reported they were executing a missed approach, advised the controller that they were operating in VMC, and canceled their IFR clearance. At 1124, the flight crew again contacted ARTCC, reported that the weather conditions at paeh had improved, and requested an IFR clearance for a second RNAV runway 15 approach. After confirming the crew could maintain terrain and obstruction clearance to 4,500 ft MSL, the controller assigned a transponder code, established radar identification, and cleared the flight for the RNAV runway 15 approach via ivuxe upon reaching 4,500 ft MSL. Between 1127 and 1135, the flight crew coordinated with the controller regarding routing for a second RNAV runway 15 approach. After initially requesting direct routing to ivuxe, the flight crew later requested routing via wagen. The controller subsequently cleared the flight crew, upon reaching 4,500 ft MSL, to proceed direct to wagen, then ivuxe, and direct to paeh.
After reporting level at 4,500 ft MSL and later established on the wagen-to-lvuxe transition, the flight crew was cleared for the RNAV runway 15 approach and approved to change frequencies. At that time the paeh AWOS reported 1/4 mile visibility, fog, and an overcast ceiling at 300 ft AGL. No further radio communications were received from the flight crew.
Adsb data shows the last adsb recorded the aircraft southbound along the approach course. At 1143:18, the airplane crossed the map cfkmw at about 1,000
Ft MSL. The airplane continued beyond cfkmw, while it descended to about 600 ft MSL, until ADS-B contact was lost at 1143:51, at that time, the airplane was about 1.3 mileso north of the runway 15 threshold at paeh.
Review of the RNAV (GPS) rwy 15 instrument approach plate, paeh, dated 09 July 2026, showed lateral navigation (LNAV) minimum descent altitude (mda) as 1320 ft and 3 miles visibility. The map was located 2.2 miles north of the runway 15 threshold. Two cautions were noted: "1) rwy located on slope of 2306' mountain. High terrain both sides and end of rwy." And "2) successful go-around improbable if initiated past the map."
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT DEPARTED ANC FOR PAEH AT ABOUT 0911. AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE, THE MOST RECENT METAR FROM PAEH REPORTED 10 SM VISIBILITY AND CLOUD CEILINGS AT 800 FT AGL. CREW RECEIVED UPDATED WEATHER ENROUTE AND HELD AT RRLND FOR WEATHER TO IMPROVE.
AT 1102, THE FLIGHT CREW REQUESTED AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY CLEARED BY THE CONTROLLER FOR THE RNAV RUNWAY 15 APPROACH. AT THAT TIME THE PAEH AWOS REPORTED 3 MILES VISIBILITY, MIST, AND A BROKEN CEILING AT 300 FT AGL. AT 1114, THE CREW REPORTED THEY WERE EXECUTING A MISSED APPROACH, ADVISED THE CONTROLLER THAT THEY WERE OPERATING IN VMC, AND CANCELED THEIR IFR CLEARANCE. AT 1124, THE FLIGHT CREW AGAIN CONTACTED ARTCC, REPORTED THAT THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AT PAEH HAD IMPROVED, AND REQUESTED AN IFR CLEARANCE FOR A SECOND RNAV RUNWAY 15 APPROACH. AFTER CONFIRMING THE CREW COULD MAINTAIN TERRAIN AND OBSTRUCTION CLEARANCE TO 4,500 FT MSL, THE CONTROLLER ASSIGNED A TRANSPONDER CODE, ESTABLISHED RADAR IDENTIFICATION, AND CLEARED THE FLIGHT FOR THE RNAV RUNWAY 15 APPROACH VIA IVUXE UPON REACHING 4,500 FT MSL. BETWEEN 1127 AND 1135, THE FLIGHT CREW COORDINATED WITH THE CONTROLLER REGARDING ROUTING FOR A SECOND RNAV RUNWAY 15 APPROACH. AFTER INITIALLY REQUESTING DIRECT ROUTING TO IVUXE, THE FLIGHT CREW LATER REQUESTED ROUTING VIA WAGEN. THE CONTROLLER SUBSEQUENTLY CLEARED THE FLIGHT CREW, UPON REACHING 4,500 FT MSL, TO PROCEED DIRECT TO WAGEN, THEN IVUXE, AND DIRECT TO PAEH.
AFTER REPORTING LEVEL AT 4,500 FT MSL AND LATER ESTABLISHED ON THE WAGEN-TO-LVUXE TRANSITION, THE FLIGHT CREW WAS CLEARED FOR THE RNAV RUNWAY 15 APPROACH AND APPROVED TO CHANGE FREQUENCIES. AT THAT TIME THE PAEH AWOS REPORTED 1/4 MILE VISIBILITY, FOG, AND AN OVERCAST CEILING AT 300 FT AGL. NO FURTHER RADIO COMMUNICATIONS WERE RECEIVED FROM THE FLIGHT CREW.
ADSB DATA SHOWS THE LAST ADSB RECORDED THE AIRCRAFT SOUTHBOUND ALONG THE APPROACH COURSE. AT 1143:18, THE AIRPLANE CROSSED THE MAP CFKMW AT ABOUT 1,000
FT MSL. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED BEYOND CFKMW, WHILE IT DESCENDED TO ABOUT 600 FT MSL, UNTIL ADS-B CONTACT WAS LOST AT 1143:51, AT THAT TIME, THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT 1.3 MILESO NORTH OF THE RUNWAY 15 THRESHOLD AT PAEH.
REVIEW OF THE RNAV (GPS) RWY 15 INSTRUMENT APPROACH PLATE, PAEH, DATED 09 JULY 2026, SHOWED LATERAL NAVIGATION (LNAV) MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE (MDA) AS 1320 FT AND 3 MILES VISIBILITY. THE MAP WAS LOCATED 2.2 MILES NORTH OF THE RUNWAY 15 THRESHOLD. TWO CAUTIONS WERE NOTED: "1) RWY LOCATED ON SLOPE OF 2306' MOUNTAIN. HIGH TERRAIN BOTH SIDES AND END OF RWY." AND "2) SUCCESSFUL GO-AROUND IMPROBABLE IF INITIATED PAST THE MAP."
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.