- Date
- October 28, 1999, 15:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Russian Mission, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N31606Piper PA-32-300
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 17, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19991028032129A
- Case key
- 47766
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's continued flight into adverse weather, and an inadvertent stall. Factors in the accident were adverse weather consisting of icing conditions, and airframe icing.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The commercial certificated pilot was conducting a visual flight rules (VFR) scheduled flight to a remote village. During a telephone interview with the NTSB investigator-in-charge, the director of operations for the company said that during the final approach phase for landing, the pilot reported he appeared to be slow and added power, but the airplane stalled about 15 feet above the ground. The main landing gear struck a berm at the approach end of the runway. The right main landing gear was sheared off. The left main gear axle was fractured. The right wing tip was damaged, and fuel was leaking from the right auxiliary fuel tank. Following the accident, the director of operations for the company flew to the accident site. He said that he encountered isolated snow showers while en route. When he examined the accident airplane, he said he noticed a trace of ice on the airplane elevator. In the Pilot/Operator report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2) submitted by the operator, the pilot indicated that he flew through a large shower and collected ice on the airplane. On the approach to the airport, the pilot indicated his airspeed was 70 knots, and the airplane was performing normally until it suddenly lost altitude.
Factual narrative
On October 28, 1999, about 1500 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Piper PA-32-300 airplane, N31606, sustained substantial damage during landing at the Russian Mission Airport, Russian Mission, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) scheduled flight under Title 14 CFR, Part 135 when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by Bidzy Ta Hot Aana Inc., doing business as Tanana Air Service, Fairbanks, Alaska, as Flight 2250X. The commercial certificated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. A VFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Aniak Airport, Aniak, Alaska, about 1430.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on October 29, 1999, the director of operations for the company reported the pilot was flying an extra section to Flight 2250, and was carrying U.S. mail. The pilot was in the final approach phase for landing on runway 35 at Russian Mission. The pilot reported that he appeared to be slow and added power, but the airplane stalled about 15 feet above the ground. The main landing gear struck a berm at the approach end of the runway. The right main landing gear was sheared off. The left main gear axle was fractured. The right wing tip was damaged, and fuel was leaking from the right auxiliary fuel tank.
Following the accident, the director of operations for the company flew to Russian Mission. He said that he encountered isolated snow showers while en route. When he examined the accident airplane, he said he noticed a trace of ice on the airplane elevator.
In the Pilot/Operator report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2) submitted by the operator, the pilot indicated that en route to Russian Mission, he flew through a large shower and collected ice on the airplane. On the approach to the airport, the pilot indicated his airspeed was 70 knots, and the airplane was performing normally until it suddenly lost altitude.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N31606
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-300
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-780137
- Airframe hours
- 14,011
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-KIA5D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Registered owner
- Bidzy Ta Hot Aana Corp
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 19, 1999 · 82 hours before
- Departed
- PANI · Aniak, AK
- Destination
- RSH
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- RSH · Russian Mission, runway 35, 2,700 × 50 ft, gravel
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 57
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 5,335 total · 2,900 in this make and model · 304 in the last 90 days · 113 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 315° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 18 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.