- Date
- December 21, 1990, 12:20 local (16:20 UTC)
- Place
- False Pass, AK
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N9444FCessna 208
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 14, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19901221055559A
- Case key
- 5476
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 improper decision to continue flight into an area of mountainous terrain and adverse weather conditions. The terrain and weather were factors.
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.
Analysis
The flight departed cold bay for the aprx 15 min flt to False Pass. There are no wx reporting facilities at False Pass. Cold bay wx was 4,500 ft ovcst, light rain & fog; forecast called for freq ceilings below 1,000 ft. wreckage located between two mountains. False Pass wx estimated 400 ft ovcst, 2-3 mi in rain & fog, winds 25-30 KTS. Fishing boat captain in area estimated winds down the mountain at 60 mph or greater.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9444F
- Reported as
- Cessna 208
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20800104
- Airframe hours
- 1,787
- Engine
- P&W PT6A-114, 600 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 135
- Registered owner
- Markair Express
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · November 15, 1990 · 94 hours before
- Departed
- CDB · Cold Bay, AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- NONE
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
- 51
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 11,000 total · 323 in this make and model · 10,000 as pilot in command · 186 in the last 90 days · 60 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 30 knots
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 39 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.