# NTSB ANC00LA038: Piper PA-32R, N8540F, Fairbanks, AK, March 27, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 27, 2000, 10:23 local (14:23 UTC) - Place: Fairbanks, AK - Coordinates: 64.899963, -148.159225 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=64.9000&lon=-148.1592&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 9, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 50951 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC00LA038 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/50951/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC00LA038 ## Probable cause The pilot's misjudgment of distance/altitude, and subsequent undershoot during landing. Factors in the accident were light snow precipitation, flat light conditions, snow-covered terrain, and the absence of a visual approach slope indicator. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Undershoot, landing - flare/touchdown - weather condition - snow (contributing factor) - distance/altitude - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - light condition - other (contributing factor) - airport facilities,visual apch slope ind(vasi) - not installed (contributing factor) - In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown - terrain condition - snow covered (contributing factor) ## Analysis The commercial certificated pilot obtained a Special VFR clearance and departed on the first portion of a cargo flight. The visibility at the airport was 2 1/2 miles in light snow. After departure, the pilot said the sky condition worsened, becoming more obscured and indefinite. He decided to return to the airport and obtained a Special VFR clearance back to the airport. He was cleared to land on a runway which does not have a visual approach slope indicator (VASI). During the landing approach, the pilot said he could see the approach end of the runway, but the lighting conditions were very flat. The airplane collided with snow-covered terrain, about 25 yards short of the approach end of the runway. The landing gear was sheared off, and the airplane received damage to the engine cowling, belly structure, and wing spars. ## Factual narrative On March 27, 2000, at 1023 Alaska standard time, a Piper PA-32R airplane, N8540F, sustained substantial damage during landing at the Fairbanks International Airport, Fairbanks, 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 as Flight 502 by Servant Air Inc., Fairbanks, Alaska. The commercial certificated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed. A VFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Fairbanks Airport at 1008. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on March 28, 2000, the pilot reported he obtained a Special VFR clearance and departed for Beaver, Alaska, the first stop on his flight. He said the sky condition worsened, becoming more obscured and indefinite. He decided to return to Fairbanks, and obtained a Special VFR clearance back to the airport. He was cleared to land on runway 19L, which does not have a visual approach slope indicator (VASI). During the landing approach, the pilot said he could see the approach end of the runway, but the lighting conditions were very flat. He said he began to lose depth perception, and visual details of the airport. The airplane collided with snow-covered terrain, about 25 yards short of the approach end of runway 19L. The landing gear was sheared off, and the airplane received damage to the engine cowling, belly structure, and wing spars. At 1034, a special weather report at Fairbanks was reporting, in part: Wind, 240 degrees (true) at 7 knots; visibility, 2 1/2 statute miles in light snow; clouds and sky condition, 3,500 feet overcast; temperature, 8 degrees F; dew point, 6 degrees F; altimeter, 29.35 inHg; remarks, tower visibility 3 miles. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8540F](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8540F), registered now, S/N 32R-7780108, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-32R - Registry model: [Piper PA-32R-300](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32r-300) (registry code 7103213) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming TI0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (registry code 41533, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 32R-7780108 - Engines: Lycoming IO-540-K1A5 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Registered owner: Servant Air Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: PAFA - Destination: WBQ, BEAVER, AK - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: PAFA, Fairbanks International, runway 19L, 3,190 × 60 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 45; commercial, flight engineer; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter, airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 5,314 total, 1,200 in this make and model, 4,164 as pilot in command, 196 in the last 90 days, 84 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Wind: 214° at 7 knots - Visibility: 2.5 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,500 ft overcast - Temperature: 9 °F, dew point 7 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: PAF ## 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 20000327008059A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000327008059A), Mar 27, 2000: Piper PA32R300, Fairbanks, AK, No damage. (-23) Pilot departed Fairbanks, at approx. 1000 am on a special VFR enroute to beaver and ft. yukon. Pilot encountered worsening weather and returned to fai.… 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.