# NTSB ANC00LA006: Piper PA-31-T3, N220CS, Gambell, AK, October 16, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 15, 1999, 16:22 local (Oct 16, 1999, 00:22 UTC) - Place: Gambell, AK - Coordinates: 63.749298, -171.690902 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=63.7493&lon=-171.6909&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 5 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 17, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 47683 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC00LA006 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/47683/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC00LA006 ## Probable cause An in-flight collision with a bird. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, cruise - object - bird(s) (cause) - wing,wing rib - fractured ## Analysis The airline transport certificated pilot was conducting a visual flight rules (VFR) scheduled domestic passenger flight. The airplane was in cruise flight at 2,500 feet msl, at an airspeed of about 200 knots. The pilot said he caught a glimpse of a sea gull that suddenly dove toward the water. The sea gull struck the right wing, outboard of the right engine nacelle. The pilot landed the airplane without any problems. The right wing's leading edge upper surface received downward and aft crushing of the wing structure about 18 inches across, and about 8 inches deep. The damage to the wing included several ribs, forward spar, leading edge skin, and the deice boot. ## Factual narrative On October 15, 1999, about 1622 Alaska daylight time, a Piper PA-31-T3 airplane, N220CS, sustained substantial damage when it collided with a bird about 18 miles east of Gambell, Alaska, about latitude 63 degrees, 41.5 minutes north, and longitude 171 degrees, 05.0 minutes west. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) scheduled domestic passenger flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated as Flight 394 by Cape Smythe Air Service Inc., Nome, Alaska. The airline transport certificated pilot, and the four passengers, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. A VFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Savoonga Airport, Savoonga, Alaska, about 1615. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness inspector, Fairbanks Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), reported he was notified by the operator of the bird strike. The flight was a continuation of a scheduled flight from Nome, to Gambell, located on Saint Lawrence Island, in the Bering Sea. The FAA inspector said that the pilot reported he was in cruise flight at 2,500 feet msl, at an airspeed of about 200 knots. He said he caught a glimpse of a sea gull that suddenly dove toward the water. The sea gull struck the right wing, outboard of the right engine nacelle. The pilot landed at Gambell without any problems. The Director of Maintenance for the operator reported the upper surface of the leading edge received downward, and aft crushing of the wing structure about 18 inches across, and about 8 inches deep. The damage to the wing included several ribs, forward spar, leading edge skin, and the deice boot. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N220CS](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N220CS-2000-12-12), registration cancelled 2000-12-12, S/N 31T8275013 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-31-T3 - Registry model: [Piper PA-31T3](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31t3) (registry code 7103128) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 31T8275013 - Airframe hours: 9006 - Engines: P&W PT6A-11 500 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Registered owner: Cape Smythe Air Service Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: AAIP, October 2, 1999, 52 hours before - Departed: PASA, SAVOONGA, AK - Destination: PAGM - Flight plan: VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 60; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 23,000 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 17° at 16 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 30 °F, dew point 19 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: PAG, 18 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19991015029069A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19991015029069A), Oct 15, 1999: Piper PA31T3, Gambell, AK, Substantial damage. (.19) On October 15, 1999, about 1630 Alaska daylight time, a Piper PA-31-T3 airplane, N220CS, sustained substantial damage when it collided with a bird about… ## Other investigations on N220CS (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 ANC00MA125](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC00MA125), Sep 18, 2000: Piper PA-31T3 (N220CS), Nuiqsut, AK, destroyed, 5 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to extend the landing gear, his improper aborted landing procedure, and inadvertent stall/mush. Factors in the accident were an improper adjustment of the landing gear warning… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.