# NTSB ANC83FA071: Piper PA-32-300, N4060W, Bettles, AK, April 17, 1983

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: April 17, 1983, 15:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place: Bettles, AK
- Coordinates: 67.240257, -152.269256 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=67.2403&lon=-152.2693&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office
- NTSB case key (mKey): 4023
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC83FA071
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/4023/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC83FA071

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight encounter with weather, cruise - normal
  - terrain condition - high terrain (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - snow (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - obscuration (contributing factor)
  - vfr flight into imc - continued, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, climb
  - terrain condition - snow covered (contributing factor)
  - terrain condition - rising (contributing factor)
  - clearance - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE ACFT WAS SEEN FLYING ALONG THE TRANS ALASKA PIPELINE AT AN ESTIMATED ALT OF 200 FT AGL. AS THE ACFT ENTERED A PASS, WHERE THE PIPELINE CROSSED RISING TERRAIN, A WITNESS HEARD THE ACFT'S ENG POWER INCREASE, THEN THE PLANE DISAPPEARED FROM HIS VIEW IN FALLING SNOW. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, HE COULD NO LONGER HEAR THE ENG & ASSUMED THE ACFT HAD MADE IT THRU THE PASS. LATER, THE ACFT WAS FOUND BY A PIPELINE HELICOPTER PLT WHERE IT HAD CRASHED AT THE 4700 LEVEL OF THE PASS. THE PIPELINE PLT REPORTED THE VISIBILITY WAS 1/2 MI IN SNOW & THE CEILING WAS 100 FT OBSCURED AT THE HIGHEST POINT IN THE PASS. WITNESSES AT THE BASE OF THE PASS ESTIMATED THE CEILING WAS 100 TO 200 FT, THE VISIBILITY WAS 1/2 TO 1 MI & LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW WAS FALLING. THE CRASH SITE WAS LOCATED JUST BEYOND THE POINT WHERE THE PIPELINE TRANSITIONED FROM AN ABOVE GROUND INSTALLATION TO A BELOW GROUND INSTALLATION. NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N4060W (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-32-300
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 32-40089
- Engines: LYCOMING IO-540-K1A5 300 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Business, Part 91
- Registered owner: Steve'S Construction Co. Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: FAI, FAIRBANKS, AK
- Destination: SCC, DEADHORSE, AK
- Flight plan: VFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 38; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; toxicology performed

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day
- Lowest ceiling: 200 ft
- Temperature: 25 °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 19830417014209A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19830417014209A), Apr 17, 1983: Piper PA32300, Bettles, AK, Destroyed. Pilot flew into pass with low ceiling and visibility. Collided with the ground.

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.