- Date
- July 9, 1991, 10:20 local (18:20 UTC)
- Place
- Port Alsworth, AK
- Injuries
- 3 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N456JHHelio H-295
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 4, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19910709027559A
- Case key
- 5575
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
Failure of the pilot to maintain sufficient altitude and clearance from mountainous terrain. Factors related to the accident were: the rising terrain and a downdraft.
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 pilot stated that while flying at about 500 feet above mountainous terrain & approaching a saddle, the airplane encountered a downdraft. Despite the addition of full power, the airplane contined to descend until it contacted the ground & nosed over.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N456JH
- Reported as
- Helio H-295
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1231
- Engine
- Lycoming GO-480, 295 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- James K. Harrower
- Registered owner
- James K Harrower
- Departed
- NONE · Stony River, AK
- Destination
- NONE · Mulchatna River, AK
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
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
- 52
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Multi-engine sea, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 10,042 total · 2,500 in this make and model · 10,042 as pilot in command · 166 in the last 90 days · 90 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -0 °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.
Other investigations on N456JH · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.