# NTSB ANC11LA008: Piper PA-32-300, N9304K, Platinum, AK, January 4, 2011 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 4, 2011, 15:30 local (19:30 UTC) - Place: Platinum, AK - Coordinates: 59.01139, -161.819442 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=59.0114&lon=-161.8194&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Wrong surface or wrong airport](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/284) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 3 minor, 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 26, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA FSDO-03 - NTSB case key (mKey): 78109 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC11LA008 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/78109/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=78109 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC11LA008 ## Probable cause The pilot's misidentification of the airport's active runway, resulting in an off-runway landing and collision with a ditch/berm. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface: snow/slush/ice covered surface](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023015): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome - [Info processing/decision: identification/recognition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause) ## Analysis The pilot reported that he used the airplane’s radio to activate the runway lights, and flew over the airport and saw the windsock, but did not see the runway lights. He said the landing roll was smooth until the airplane came to a sudden stop when it struck a berm. The airplane received substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The airport manager said several people told him they saw the airplane fly over the field, lineup with the old (closed) runway, and land. The manager said the airport's newest runway, operational for about 2 years, is lighted, and that the end of the old runway had been incorporated into a parallel taxiway for the new runway. The rest of the old runway had been plowed up, and marked with a red "X". He said on the day of the accident the old runway was covered with snow. He stated that the lighted runway had about 1 inch of snow on it, and that the lights were on the highest intensity setting. He said the visibility was 10 miles under a 1,000 foot overcast, and the wind was calm. The airport manager said the airplane struck a ditch/berm where a portion of the old runway had been changed to an elevated taxiway for the new runway. The passenger seated on the left side of the airplane behind the pilot said she was familiar with the airport, and saw the lights of the lighted runway as they flew over. ## Factual narrative On January 4, 2011, about 1530 Alaska standard time, a Piper PA-32-300 airplane, N9304K, sustained substantial damage during landing at the Platinum Airport, Platinum, Alaska. The airplane was operated by Alaska Island Air Taxi Inc., Togiak, Alaska, as a visual flight rules (VFR) on-demand passenger flight under Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations Part 135, when the accident occurred. The commercial pilot and one of the four passengers were not injured; the remaining three passengers received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight departed Goodnews Airport, Goodnews Bay, Alaska, about 11 miles northeast of Platinum. On January 11, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) called the Platinum Airport manager. The manager said he was at the airport the day of the accident, and arrived at the accident site moments afterward. He said he had spoken with several individuals who saw the airplane fly over the field, lineup with the old runway and land. The manager said the airport has a new 3300 foot lighted runway that has been open about 2 years. He said the end of the old runway nearest the new runway is now a parallel taxiway for the new runway. The remainder of the old runway was abandoned, plowed up, and marked on the unused end with red panels making an "X". He said that on the day of the accident, the old runway and its red panels were covered with snow. He said there was about 1 inch of snow on the new runway, and the runway lights were on the highest intensity setting. He noted the visibility was 10 miles, under a 1,000 foot overcast, and the wind was calm. After landing on the closed portion of the old runway, the airport manager said the airplane struck a ditch/berm where a portion of the old runway became an elevated taxiway for the new runway. He said the pilot did not offer an explanation as to why he elected to land on the old runway. In a written statement to the NTSB dated January 14, the pilot reported that about 3 miles from the airport he used the airplane’s radio to activate the runway lights. He said he flew over the airport and saw the windsock, but did not see the lights of the runway. He said the landing roll was smooth until the airplane came to a sudden stop when it struck the berm. In the report he listed the damage to the airplane as substantial, but did not note the nature of the damage. Photographs of the accident airplane published by local media show substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. During a telephone interview with the NTSB IIC on February 1, the passenger seated on the left side of the airplane behind the pilot said she was familiar with the airport, and that she saw the lights of the lighted runway as they flew over. When the pilot lined up for the old runway, she said she wondered why he was landing on the old runway, but did not say anything to the pilot. ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Wrong surface or wrong airport](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/284) (defining event) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9304K](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9304K-2013-08-13), registration cancelled 2013-08-13, S/N 32-7640076, built 1976 (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: 32-7640076 - Engines: LYCOMING TIO-540 SER 310 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Alaska Island Air Inc, doing business as Akaska Island Air - Registered owner: Carlos Gary N - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: GNU, Good News, AK - Destination: PAPM, Platinum, AK - Flight plan: Company VFR - Airport: PAPM, Platinum, runway 32, 3,300 × 100 ft, gravel ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 66; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 4, 2010; seat: left; flight hours: 8,000 total, 3,000 in this make and model, 75 in the last 90 days, 25 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,000 ft unknown ## 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 20110104000149A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110104000149A), Jan 4, 2011: Piper PA-32-300, Platinum, AK, Substantial damage. The airport manager at Platinum stated the pilot flew over head, and then landed on the closed runway. After landing the aircraft hit a snow berm and went off… ## Other investigations on N9304K (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 ANC82DA032](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC82DA032), Apr 8, 1982: Piper PA-32 (N9304K), Akiachak, AK, substantial damage ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 28, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=78109. 938 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 479 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40344219&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Record of Conversation - Airport Manager (item 2, .PDF, 114 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40344215&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20Airport%20Manager-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation - Pauline Echuck (item 3, .PDF, 114 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40344213&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20Pauline%20Echuck-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation - Kayla Fox (item 4, .PDF, 114 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40344214&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20Kayla%20Fox-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation - Carla Nanook (item 5, .PDF, 50 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40344216&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20Carla%20Nanook-Master.PDF - Airport Plot (item 6, .PDF, 66 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40344218&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Airport%20Plot-Master.PDF 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.