- Date
- February 4, 1985, 19:51 local (23:51 UTC)
- Place
- Soldotna, AK
- Injuries
- 9 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N50NPBeech 65-A80
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Major Investigations Division
- Safety recommendations
- Yes
- FAA report
- 19850204005919A
- Case key
- 15828
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
During arrival, the crew of npa flt 1802 contacted the company wx observer at Soldotna who advised the wx was: wnd calm,ceiling 600 to 800 ft, vis 8 to 10 mi, no precip. They made an NDB apch, but missed the apch & requested another apch. Aprx 1 min later, the crew reported the acft had accumulated a hvy load of ice. They could have diverted nearby to kenaifor an ILS apch, but elected to make a VOR apch back to Soldotna. While being vectored, they made 2 more checks with thewx observer who advised the wx had deteriorated to below mins & recommended diverting, but the crew did not acknowledge. Subsequently, the acft collided with trees on hi terrain aprx 1.5 mi se of the arpt. There was evidence the acft was circling when it crashed. Circling was not authorized south of rwy 7/25. Inv revealed recurring prblms with the anti-icesys, its 'single' mode was inop, 2 de-ice boots were missing fm prop blades. Wx station listed only 1 lgtd marker (1/4 mi away) for vis ref; min lndg vis was 1 mi; ceilometer was inop. No FAA inspn of wx station in 2 yrs. Icg forcasted.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N50NP
- Reported as
- Beech 65-A80
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- LD231
- Airframe hours
- 12,106
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-720-A1B, 400 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- North Pacific Airlines
- Registered owner
- North Pacific Airlines
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · January 26, 1985 · 92 hours before
- Departed
- ANC · Anchorage, AK
- Destination
- SXQ
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- SXQ · Soldotna, runway 25, 4,973 × 130 ft, macadam
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
- 37
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 7,288 total · 2,985 in this make and model · 6,150 as pilot in command · 255 in the last 90 days · 96 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 30° at 5 knots
- Lowest ceiling
- 300 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 27 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ENA, 9 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.