# NTSB ANC03LA044: Piper PA-32-300, N2863T, Kotzebue, AK, April 16, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 16, 2003, 10:05 local (18:05 UTC) - Place: Kotzebue, AK - Coordinates: 66.866668, -162.133331 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=66.8667&lon=-162.1333&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 25, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 56831 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC03LA044 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56831/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC03LA044 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain adequate altitude/clearance, which resulted in an in-flight collision with terrain during cruise flight. Factors associated with the accident were flat light conditions, and snow-covered terrain. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with terrain/water, cruise - light condition - other (contributing factor) - altitude/clearance - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - terrain condition - snow covered (contributing factor) ## Analysis The solo commercial pilot reported he was transporting cargo on a cross-country flight in VFR conditions. The flight progressed over a large, featureless, snow-covered lagoon, and according to the pilot, flat light conditions made it difficult to discern any topographical features of the terrain. The pilot didn't realize that the airplane had entered a descent. The airplane descended and ultimately struck the snow-covered lagoon, sustaining substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. The reported weather conditions included a 1,200 foot overcast ceiling and visibility of 9 statute miles. ## Factual narrative On April 16, 2003, about 1005 Alaska daylight time, a Piper PA-32-300 airplane, N2863T, sustained substantial damage when it collided with a frozen snow-covered lagoon during cruise flight, about 10 miles east of the Ralph Wien Memorial Airport, Kotzebue, Alaska. The airplane was operated by Servant Air, Inc., Fairbanks, Alaska, as a VFR cross-country cargo flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135, when the accident occurred. The solo commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of departure, and a VFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated about 0959 from the Ralph Wien Memorial Airport, and was en route to Noorvik, Alaska, with planned stops in Kiana and Selawik, Alaska, before returning to Kotzebue. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on April 16, the pilot reported that after departing from Kotzebue, he headed east towards his first destination of Noorvik. He said that as the flight progressed over the large, featureless, snow-covered lagoon, flat light conditions made it difficult to discern any topographical features of the terrain. He said he didn't realize the airplane had entered a descent. He said that the airplane descended and ultimately struck the snow-covered lagoon. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The closest official weather observation station is located at the Ralph Wien Memorial Airport. At 1000, an Aviation Routine Weather Report (METAR) was reporting, in part: Wind, 100 degrees (true) at 10 knots; visibility, 9 statute miles, in light snow showers; clouds and sky condition, 2,300 feet broken, 4,000 feet broken, 9,000 feet broken, 18,000 feet overcast; temperature, 34 degrees F; dew point, 32 degrees F; altimeter, 29.34 inHg. According to the pilot, the weather conditions at the accident site included a 1,200 foot overcast ceiling and visibility of 9 statute miles. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2863T](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2863T-2004-03-02), registration cancelled 2004-03-02, S/N 32-7240095, built 1972 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-32-300 - Registry model: [Piper PA-32-300](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-300) (registry code 7103212) (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: 32-7240095 - Airframe hours: 7610.3 - Engines: Lycoming IO-540K-1A5 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Registered owner: Servant Air Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, April 1, 2003, 48.3 hours before - Departed: OTZ, Kotzebue, AK - Destination: ORV, Noorvik, AK - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: OTZ, Kotzebue ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 24; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review November 21, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 1,900 total, 400 in this make and model, 1,860 as pilot in command, 300 in the last 90 days, 80 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 80° at 5 knots - Visibility: 9 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,200 ft overcast - Temperature: 32 °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 20030416004719A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030416004719A), Apr 16, 2003: Piper PA32300, Kotzebue, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) Airman departed in flat light conditions, made an initial climb to 500 feet and subsequently failed to detect that the aircraft had begun to descend. He… 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.