- Date
- September 20, 1996, 16:00 local (Sep 21, 1996, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- Aniak, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N6630MPzl-Mielec 104-80
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 25, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19960920029199A
- Case key
- 2908
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 glide path on final approach, and his inadequate compensation for the gusty wind conditions. Factors associated with the accident are the gusty winds 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 reported he was on final approach to a small, unimproved landing site to drop off a hunting client. He said that while on short final approach a strong downdraft caused the airplane to slam to the ground causing extensive damage to the airplane. The pilot said the winds were approximately 18 knots with higher gusts. He reported that the airplane's glidepath was slightly low, and that the downdraft was caused by turbulence associated with the local terrain and wind gusts.
Factual narrative
On September 20, 1996, about 1600 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped PZL-Mielec Wilga 104-80 airplane, N6630M, sustained substantial damage during an off airport landing approximately 52 miles east-southeast of Aniak, Alaska. The airline transport certificated pilot and the sole passenger aboard were not injured. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight operated in visual meteorological conditions. The purpose of the flight was to transport a hunting client to a hunting site. The flight last departed a local, rural hunting base camp, time unknown.
The pilot reported he was making a landing approach to an off airport, unimproved site he routinely used to drop off a hunting client. The pilot said he was flying the airplane at 55 knots indicated airspeed on final approach, when a severe downdraft forced the airplane prematurely onto the landing surface. The airplane received substantial damage when it struck the runway. The pilot reported the wind to be about 18 to 20 knots from 220 degrees, with higher gusts.
In his written report to the NTSB, the pilot noted his approach path to the landing site was slightly low, and the downdraft was caused by turbulence associated with the wind flowing over and down nearby terrain.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6630M
- Reported as
- Pzl-Mielec 104-80
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- CF20400893
- Airframe hours
- 1,084
- Engine
- Pzl-Kalisz KAFAI14RA, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- Kelly L. Vrem
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 17, 1996 · 13 hours before
- 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
- 43
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 10,000 total · 800 in this make and model · 10,000 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 18 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 5,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 36 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.