- Date
- February 14, 1985, 19:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Port Heiden, AK
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N63719Piper PA-31
- Weather
- Night/dark
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19850214027249A
- Case key
- 4397
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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.
In flight collision with terrain/water
Weather condition - obscurationFactor
Weather condition - unfavorable windFactor
Weather condition - snowFactor
Flight into known adverse weather - intentionalCause
Vfr flight into imc - continuedCause
Compensation for wind conditions - inadequateCause
Terrain condition - mountainous/hillyFactor
Light condition - dark nightFactor
In-flight planning/decision - poorFactor
Analysis
This flt originated near becharof lake and was destined for cold bay. Acft crashed into the side of a mountain at the 7500 ft level, 23 miles left of course. Marginal weather conditions existed including a 35 kt right x-wind. Plt had flown the same route about 1 hr prior to the accident. Company VFR flt plan was filed. Accident occurred at sunset.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N63719
- Reported as
- Piper PA-31
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7712042
- Airframe hours
- 4,284
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540-A2C, 310 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Ferry · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Peninsula Airways
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · February 5, 1985 · 23 hours before
- Departed
- XAB · Becharof Lake 1, AK
- Destination
- CDB · Cold Bay, AK
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 39
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 4,427 total · 2,250 in this make and model · 4,239 as pilot in command · 148 in the last 90 days · 48 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Night/dark
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.