- Date
- December 21, 2011, 10:20 local (14:20 UTC)
- Place
- Kwigillingok, AK
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N6480HCessna 207A
- Defining event
- Approach: VFR encounter with IMC
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 2, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA Anchorage FSDO
- FAA report
- 20111221029829A
- Case key
- 82555
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 decision to continue visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions with moderate icing, which resulted in structural icing and an aerodynamic stall.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he was flying in visual meteorological conditions for most of the flight. As he approached the airport, he inadvertently entered an area of instrument meteorological conditions that resulted in a buildup of ice on the airframe and windscreen. He attempted to make a 180-degree turn to exit the conditions but was unable to maintain sufficient airspeed for flight, and the airplane descended and collided with terrain. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and wings.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported he was flying in visual meteorological conditions for most of the flight. As he approached the airport, he inadvertently entered an area of instrument meteorological conditions that resulted in a buildup of ice on the airframe and windscreen. He attempted to make a 180 degree turn to exit the conditions, but was unable to maintain sufficient airspeed for flight, and the airplane descended and collided with terrain. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and wings.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6480H
- Reported as
- Cessna 207A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20700540
- Airframe hours
- 11,446
- Engine
- Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Flight Alaska Inc, doing business as Yute Air Alaska
- Registered owner
- Bethel Leasing LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 11, 2011
- Departed
- PABE · Bethel, AK
- Destination
- PAGG · Kwigillingok, AK
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- PAGG · Kwigillingok
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
- 44
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 11, 2011
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,500 total · 1,300 in this make and model · 234 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 1 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 500 ft
- Temperature
- 21 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.54 inHg
- Observed at
- PAKI, 26 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 23, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 594 KB in all.
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 N6480H · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.