ANC98FA168

Prior to departing on a VFR cross-country flight along a planned coastal route, the private pilot obtained a weather briefing. The weather conditions along the route, which the pilot had flown several times, consisted of low ceilings and low visibility in rain and mist. AIRMETs were in effect for IFR conditions, mountain obscuration, turbulence, and low level wind shear. After departure, no distress communication was received from the pilot, and the airplane did not arrive at its destination. A search for the airplane in the U.S. and Canada was unsuccessful until four days after departure. The airplane was located about 900 feet msl on an island, 9 miles south of the departure airport. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and a postcrash fire.

History of flight

On September 29, 1998, at an estimated time of 1245 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna TU-206G airplane, N4820U, collided with steep terrain about 9.2 miles southeast of Ketchikan, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight when the accident occurred. The airplane, operated by the pilot, was destroyed by impact and postimpact fire. The certificated private pilot, the sole occupant, received fatal injuries. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed in the area of the accident. A VFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Ketchikan International Airport, at 1226 en route to Bellingham, Washington.

A personal friend of the pilot reported that the pilot was traveling to Torrance, California, after closing a lodge near Copper Center, Alaska, for the winter. The pilot departed Anchorage, Alaska, on September 28, 1998, and stopped in Ketchikan.

On September 29, 1998, at 0957:01, the pilot telephoned the Ketchikan Flight Service Station (FSS), to get a weather briefing for his flight to Bellingham, and asked, "...this stuff going to lift or anything today?" The flight service station specialist commented, "...probably not." The specialist inquired if the pilot was planning a VFR or IFR flight. The pilot replied, "oh I can go IFR,...but I'm not real excited about it."

The specialist then provided an abbreviated weather briefing for the coastal region of southeast Alaska and Canada. The weather information included frontal weather moving onto the north gulf coast and southeast panhandle (of Alaska), by 1600, and then moving rapidly into Canada. A secondary front was developing in the eastern gulf coast. The FSS specialist commented that, "...things are coming down here a little bit, uh, I'd say we've got five to six miles visibility at the moment, and uh, starting to pick up a layer about eight to nine hundred scattered, and 1,900 overcast."

About 1115, the pilot obtained a weather briefing in person from a Ketchikan FSS specialist. The specialist stated she provided a complete weather briefing, and the pilot filed a VFR flight plan. The pilot indicated on his flight plan that his route of flight was Victor Airway V317, to V440, to Bellingham. He also indicated his estimated time en route was 4.5 hours, with seven hours of fuel on board.

At 1221:24, the pilot reported he was taxiing for takeoff runway 11 at Ketchikan. He stated, "...I'll be heading over to Annette Island and then Annette VOR, rather then I'll be taking (V)317 southeast." The FSS specialist reminded the pilot the Annette VOR was out of service, and the pilot acknowledged the information.

At 1224:50, the FSS specialist provided an airport advisory to the pilot and stated, "Cessna 20U, Ketchikan Radio roger, no known traffic, wind on the runway, 130 at 13, gust 18." The pilot acknowledged the advisory and stated, "looks like that wind is starting to pick up, isn't it." The FSS specialist commented, "I think you're getting out of here just the right time probably." The pilot answered, "yeah, hope so."

The pilot departed Ketchikan at 1226, and the FSS specialist indicated he would activate the pilot's flight plan.

At 1228:45, a Ketchikan FSS specialist asked the pilot over the radio if he would try to make radio contact with a Beechcraft Bonanza, N350JL, in the area of Annette Island on radio frequency 122.4 MHz. The request was to have the accident pilot advise N350JL that Ketchikan Radio could hear the airplane (N350JL) broadcasting, and to call again. The accident pilot agreed, and at 1229:46, he advised Ketchikan FSS "alrighty, I'll give him a call here in just second, looks like I'm coming up on Annette right now."

Between 1230:10 and 1239:48, the accident airplane pilot was heard several times attempting to make radio contact with N350JL. No further radio contact from the accident airplane was recorded after 1240.

The pilot did not arrive at his destination. An alert notice (ALNOT), was issued by the FAA on September 30, 1998, at 0131.

A search was initiated by Canadian Coast Guard personnel in the late evening hours of September 29, 1998, along the pilot's intended route of flight. On September 30, 1998, U.S. Coast Guard search aircraft began search operations in the area of departure. Low ceilings along the pilot's intended route of flight limited airborne search efforts. No emergency locator transmitter (ELT) signal was received from the airplane.

On October 3, 1998, about 1730, the airplane wreckage was located about 900 feet msl on the northern tip of Annette Island, in a heavily wooded area.

The accident occurred during the hours of daylight at latitude 55 degrees, 14.43 minutes north, and longitude 131 degrees, 32.04 minutes west.

Crew information

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land and sea, and multiengine land ratings. The pilot did not hold an instrument rating, nor a mechanic certificate. The most recent second-class medical certificate was issued to the pilot on November 17, 1994. The medical certificate expired on November 30, 1996. It contained the limitation that the pilot shall have available glasses for near vision. A review of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records on file in the Airman and Medical Records Center located in Oklahoma City, did not reveal any later application for a medical certificate.

No personal flight records were located for the pilot. A review of FAA airman records indicated the pilot first obtained a private pilot certificate on May 2, 1972. The aeronautical experience listed on page 3 of this report was obtained from the pilot's last medical application of November 17, 1994. On the application, the pilot indicated that his total aeronautical experience consisted of 3,500 hours.

A personal friend of the pilot said the pilot had military flight experience, with about 19,000 hours of flight time. He said that in the past, he had flown with the pilot during instrument meteorological conditions. The pilot owned a lodge in Tonsina, Alaska. He operated the lodge during the summer months, and returned to an aviation maintenance business in Torrance, California, in the winter months.

Aircraft information

The pilot purchased the airplane in 1983. He did not register the airplane with the FAA, and the registration records continued to reflect the previous owner. The airplane's maintenance records were not located. A business partner recalled performing an annual inspection on the airplane in 1995. No records of the inspection were located. The total time on the engine and airframe is not known.

Fueling records at Aero Services Inc., Ketchikan, established that the aircraft was last fueled on the accident date with the addition of 72.7 gallons of 100LL octane aviation fuel.

A business partner of the pilot stated he last flew in the accident airplane on June 17, 1998. The airplane's vacuum pump was inoperative at that time. A personal friend of the pilot reported the pilot purchased a Parker Hannifin dry air vacuum pump on June 22, 1998, and it was installed by the pilot.

Meteorological information

The closest official weather observation station is Ketchikan, which is located 9.2 nautical miles northwest of the accident site. On September 29, 1998, at 1153, an Aviation Routine Weather Report (METAR) was reporting in part: Wind, 180 degrees (true) at 7 knots, varying from 130 to 220 degrees; visibility, 3 statute miles in moderate rain and mist; clouds, 600 feet scattered, 1,200 feet broken, 1,600 feet overcast; temperature, 48 degrees F; dew point, 48 degrees F; altimeter, 30.05 inHg; remarks, ceiling ragged.

A weather synopsis, issued on September 29, 1998, at 0545, and valid until 0000, stated: "A 992 millibar low, 240 miles south of Middleton Island, and the 1005 millibar low, 450 mi