# NTSB ANC00LA041: Piper PA-28, N6119W, Aleknagik, AK, April 12, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 12, 2000, 15:45 local (23:45 UTC) - Place: Aleknagik, AK - Coordinates: 59.239383, -158.619277 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=59.2394&lon=-158.6193&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report May 9, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 48942 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC00LA041 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/48942/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC00LA041 ## Probable cause The first pilot's (pilot-in-command) inadequate evaluation of the weather, and failure to maintain an adequate altitude above the ground. Factors in the accident were low ceilings, and snow-covered terrain. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, cruise - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor) - weather evaluation - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - altitude - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, cruise - terrain condition - snow covered (contributing factor) - terrain condition - water,frozen ## Analysis The first pilot, a commercial certificated pilot and a flight instructor, and the second pilot, a private pilot, were ferrying the airplane cross-country to obtain an annual inspection. The airplane was owned and being flown by the second pilot who occupied the left seat. The second pilot's medical certificate was expired. The first pilot, occupying the right seat, said he was the pilot-in-command, but the second pilot was at the flight controls at the time of the crash. The flight proceeded toward a small range of mountains, but the tops of the ridges were obscured by clouds. The first pilot said overcast sky conditions varied between 1,400 to 1,600 feet above the ground, and he estimated the visibility below the overcast as 20 miles. As the flight approached the mountains, the pilot turned northward, but found no access across the mountains. He turned around and began to proceed to the departure airport. While in cruise flight at 500 feet above the ground, the first pilot said the horizon became indistinguishable from the snow-covered mountains, and the snow-covered ground. The first pilot said that neither he or the second pilot realized the airplane was slowly descending until it collided with the surface of a snow-covered lake. ## Factual narrative On April 12, 2000, about 1545 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Piper PA-28 airplane, N6119W, sustained substantial damage after colliding with a frozen, snow-covered lake about 57 miles northwest of Aleknagik, Alaska, about latitude 60 degrees, 13 minutes north, and longitude 159 degrees, 02 minutes west. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country ferry flight when the accident occurred. The airplane was owned and being flown by the second pilot who occupied the left seat. For the purposes of the flight, the first pilot, occupying the right seat, was the pilot-in-command. The first pilot, a commercial certificated pilot and a flight instructor, and the second pilot, holder of a private pilot certificate, received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed in the area of the accident. A VFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Naknek Airport, Naknek, Alaska, about 1355. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on April 13, 2000, at 1125, the first pilot reported the airplane engine was just overhauled, but the airplane did not have a current annual inspection. A ferry permit was obtained from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to move the airplane from Naknek to Bethel, Alaska, for an annual inspection. The second pilot's medical certificate was expired. The first pilot said he was the pilot-in-command, but the second pilot was at the flight controls at the time of the crash. After departure from Naknek, the flight reported over Aleknagik at 1427 via radio to FAA flight service station (FSS) personnel. After reporting over Aleknagik, the flight proceeded toward the Kuskokwim Mountains. The first pilot said overcast sky conditions varied between 1,400 to 1,600 feet above the ground, and he estimated the visibility below the overcast as 20 miles. As the flight approached the mountains, the tops of the ridges were obscured by clouds. The first pilot said they turned northward, but found no access across the mountains. He turned around and began to proceed toward Dillingham, Alaska. While in cruise flight at 500 feet above the ground, the first pilot said that in the area of Chikuminuk Lake, the horizon became indistinguishable from the snow-covered mountains, and the snow-covered ground. The first pilot said that neither he or the second pilot realized the airplane was slowly descending until it collided with the surface of the lake. The first pilot said the left main landing gear was sheared off, the left wing spar fractured, and the outboard end of the right wing was bent. The flight did not arrive at the intended destination of Bethel, and was reported overdue. On April 13, 2000, about 0300, the pilot contacted an airplane over-flying the area of the accident and reported his location as Chikuminuk Lake. Search personnel picked up both occupants and transported them to Bethel. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6119W](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6119W-2017-07-14), registration cancelled 2017-07-14, S/N 28-20135, built 1964 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-28 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-140](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140) (registry code 7102802) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-20135 - Airframe hours: 4200 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Ferry, Part 91 - Operator: Mark Mcgee - Registered owner: Victor Ladeira - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: 5NK, NAKNEK, AK - Destination: PABE, BETHEL, AK - Flight plan: VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 31; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: right; flight hours: 911 total, 8 in this make and model, 739 as pilot in command, 20 in the last 90 days, 11 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 90° at 10 knots - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,400 ft overcast - Temperature: 39 °F ## 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 20000412042229A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000412042229A), Apr 12, 2000: Piper PA28140, Dillingham, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) On April 12, 2000, at 1300 local time, a Piper PA-28-140 airplane, N6119W, sustained substantial damage when it crashed on chikuminuk lake at 6013N,… ## Other investigations on N6119W (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 ANC96LA132](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC96LA132), Aug 17, 1996: Piper PA-28-140 (N6119W), Dillingham, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing. Soft terrain was a factor in the accident 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.