ANC98FA006

The pilot was flying through a mountain pass when the airplane collided with rising terrain and was destroyed by fire. The flight had been delayed several hours due to low ceilings, and the pilot was in a hurry to return due to plans for the evening. Another company pilot who immediately preceded him along a parallel route, and another pilot in the area, stated that they did not believe the pass where the accident occurred was open. The ceiling was broken with overcast layers above 1,000 feet mean sea level (msl). The airplane impacted in a level attitude, with the wings parallel to the slope, at 2,600 feet msl. No abnormalities were discovered with the airplane or engine. Due to rain, snow and freezing temperatures, the wreckage was located two days later.

History of flight

On October 23, 1997, approximately 1445 Alaska daylight time, a Piper PA-32-300 airplane, N30505, was destroyed when it impacted mountainous terrain 16 miles southeast of Juneau, Alaska. The commercial pilot and sole passenger sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was operated by L. A. B. Flying Service, Inc., of Haines, Alaska. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 135 as an on-demand air taxi passenger and cargo flight. The flight departed Juneau at 1430, for Kake, Alaska, after several hours of weather delays. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at Juneau and Kake at the time of the accident, and a company VFR flight plan was filed.

Reports received through interviews by the NTSB Investigator-In-Charge (IIC) with pilots who had flown in the vicinity of the accident site on the day of the accident, indicated that broken and overcast cloud layers existed above 1,000 feet msl and rain showers with mountain obscuration were present along the proposed route of flight.

The accident pilot departed at 1417, along with another company airplane traveling to Kake. He was recalled to pick up a passenger, and departed a second time at 1427. The chief pilot, and company line pilots interviewed by the NTSB IIC, indicated the pilot was irritated by this delay. These pilots also felt there was possibly an air of competition between the accident pilot, and the other pilot flying to Kake, to arrive at Kake first.

The typical route of flight between Juneau and Kake utilizes either the valley where Young Lake is located, or Oliver Inlet located approximately two miles east of the ridge where the accident occurred. The difference in time between these two routes was estimated by the company chief pilot to be a few minutes. The first of these two company flights utilized the longer route through Oliver Inlet.

The pilot last reported his position as Young Lake at 1440. The company reported the flight overdue at 1530, and search efforts began about 1600. The airplane was located approximately 1610 on October 25, 1997, near the 2,400 feet level in Young Pass, three miles southeast of Young Lake.

The passenger was located about 30 feet below the airplane, directly downhill, surrounded by airplane and cargo debris. The entire area where the passenger was located had been involved in the postcrash fire.

The pilot was located on the uphill side of the airplane, in a reclining seated position, leaning against the left horizontal stabilizer. He was located outside of, and aft of, the burn pattern which consumed the airplane's center cabin.

Damage to aircraft

The airplane was destroyed. The engine and right wing separated from the airplane, and were found downhill of the main fuselage. The left wing and fuselage were partially consumed by a postcrash fire.

Personnel information

The accident pilot held a commercial certificate and was rated in single and multiengine airplanes. He held a flight and instrument instructor certificate for single engine airplanes. The pilot had been approved as a company check airman for the purposes of conducting initial operating experience training under 14 CFR 135.244, on May 19, 1997.

The pilot held a second class medical certificate, issued April 29, 1997, with no restrictions.

His most recent 14 CFR 135.293 proficiency check was performed on July 23, 1997, in a multiengine airplane. The last checkride in the PA-32 was conducted on March 12, 1997. These were both administered by the company check airman, who was also the chief pilot.

The pilot had accumulated 1,746 hours of total flight time at the time of the accident. Of these, 643 hours were in the PA-32. The pilot had flown 191 hours, and 64 hours, in the previous 90 and 30 days respectively. Of these, 137 hours and 61 hours were in the PA-32. He had a total of 12 hours of actual instrument time, and 58 hours of simulated instrument flight.

The pilot was first employed by the company from February 2, 1995, to October 29, 1995. According to his personal logbook, he did not log any flight time until returning to the company on April 20, 1997. He had completed 27 flight segments between Juneau and Kake in the previous 90 days. Since returning to the company, he had terminated a total of four flights due to weather.

Interviews of several company pilots by the NTSB IIC revealed that this pilot, and several others intended to attend a concert the evening of October 23. The accident flight had been delayed several hours due to low ceilings. The chief pilot and company line pilots interviewed by the IIC felt there was a sense of urgency to complete the flight and return.

Aircraft information

The PA-32 airplane was owned by L.A.B. Flying Service, Inc., of Haines. The airplane was configured with 6 passenger seats. The company was not authorized to fly single engine airplanes in instrument conditions. The airplane was equipped with basic IFR instruments.

Meteorological information

The weather reported for Juneau at 1445 was few clouds at 300 feet, broken clouds at 2,500 feet, and 10 miles visibility in light rain. At 1545 the weather at Juneau was reported to be scattered clouds at 500 feet, broken clouds at 2,500 feet, and 10 miles visibility.

The weather at Kake at 1455 was scattered clouds at 1,600 feet, scattered clouds at 3,800 feet, with 10 miles visibility. At 1554, the Kake weather was reported as broken clouds at 3,600 feet, broken clouds at 4,700 feet, visibility of 10 miles.

The area forecast for Juneau, valid from 1145 until 2400, called for an occluded front to move onshore by 2400. This was forecast to result in mountain obscuration in clouds and precipitation, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, broken clouds at 4,500 feet, and layers up to 30,000 feet. Temporary conditions of 500 feet scattered, 1,500 feet broken, and visibility of 4 miles in rain and snow were forecast.

A pilot employed by Silver Bay Aviation, based in Juneau, told the NTSB IIC on October 24, 1997, that he was flying between Juneau and the area of the accident between 1350 and 1445. He observed clouds hanging on all the hills, and in Young Bay. He told the IIC that the bases of the layer were below 500 feet, and that he had to fly above 2,500 feet to be on top of the layer. He said that there were cloud layers at all levels, and he could not see down Stephens Passage toward Kake. He said the visibility was less defined in Young Pass. He heard two LAB pilots talking, and one stated that he was abeam Horse Island (in Young Bay) at 1,000 feet msl bound for Kake. The pilot interviewed said he was in the same location, and that this pilot must have been below the cloud layer.

The pilot of the company airplane which left for Kake at 1415 described the weather in Young Bay/Oliver Inlet as "multiple scattered layers between 1,000 feet and 3,000 feet, and overcast at 3,000 feet msl." This pilot told the NTSB IIC that he did not believe the weather was open through Young Pass.

Wreckage and impact information

Due to weather, the wreckage site was not reached by the IIC until October 27, 1997. At this time the entire site was covered by about two inches of fresh snow. Video footage taken by the Coast Guard helicopter crew who confirmed the fatalities on October 25, did not show the presence of snow.

The airplane came to rest about 2,400 feet msl, at position 58 degrees 05.08 minutes North latitude, 134 degrees 23.67 minutes West longitude, with the nose of the airplane pointed on a magnetic heading of 078 degrees. The airplane was on the southern side of an east-west oriented ridge. The slope varied from 25 to 35 degrees. The airplane was oriented right wing down, with the nose level with the horizon. No ground scars leading to the impact site were evident.

The right wing, engine, propeller, and both main landing gear separated from the airplane, and were located