- Date
- October 6, 2000, 15:15 local (23:15 UTC)
- Place
- Port Alsworth, AK
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N295BAHelio H-295
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 10, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 20001006041779A
- Case key
- 50486
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 inadequate preflight inspection, which failed to remove all water from the fuel system. A factor associated with the accident was unsuitable terrain for a forced landing.
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 certificated airline transport pilot reported that while in level, cruise flight, the engine began to run rough, and lose power. After performing emergency procedures, he was able to restore partial engine power momentarily, followed by a complete loss of engine power. The airplane collided with trees during a subsequent forced landing. A postaccident examination revealed about 10cc of clear water, along with clean (light-blue) fuel within the carburetor body. A visual inspection of the airplane's gascolator revealed the presence of about two cups of murky and silty water. The accident pilot stated that prior to departing on the accident flight, during his preflight inspection, he checked the accident airplane's fuel system for contaminants, by draining a fuel sample from the gascolator. He said that no contaminants were discovered.
Factual narrative
On October 6, 2000, about 1515 Alaska daylight time, a float equipped Helio H-295 airplane, N295BA, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing, about 35 miles northeast of Port Alsworth, Alaska, at latitude 60 degrees, 32 minutes north, and longitude 153 degrees, 20 minutes west. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) positioning flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The airplane was registered to, and operated by, Branham Adventures, Anchorage, Alaska. The solo airline transport pilot received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and VFR company flight following procedures were in effect. The flight originated at Kokhanok, Alaska, about 1420, and was en route to Anchorage.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge on October 7, the pilot reported that while in level, cruise flight, the engine began to run rough, and lose power. He said that after performing emergency procedures, he was able to restore partial engine power momentarily, followed by a complete loss of engine power. The airplane collided with trees during a subsequent forced landing.
On October 9, company and insurance personnel retrieved the airplane from the accident site, and transported it to the Big Lake Airport, Big Lake, Alaska.
On October 17, the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge, a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness inspector, Anchorage Flight Standards District Office, and the accident pilot, examined the airplane at the Big Lake Airport. During the examination a total of about 10cc of clear water, along with clean (light-blue) fuel was removed from the carburetor body drain plug. A visual inspection of the airplane's gascolator revealed the presence of about two cups of murky and silty water.
The accident pilot stated that prior to departing on the accident flight, during his preflight inspection, he checked the accident airplane's fuel system for contaminants, by draining a fuel sample from the gascolator. He said that no contaminants were discovered.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, wings, and empennage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N295BA
- Reported as
- Helio H-295
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1409
- Airframe hours
- 6,939
- Engine
- Lycoming GO-480-G1D6, 295 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Branham Adventures
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 15, 2000 · 28 hours before
- Departed
- Kokhanok, AK
- Destination
- LHD · Anchorage, AK
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
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
- 66
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine sea, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 30,000 total · 1,000 in this make and model · 27,500 as pilot in command · 48 in the last 90 days · 28 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N295BA · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.