Piper PA-22 N72999

Summary

On 20 March 1993 at about 15:23 local time, a Piper PA-22 registered N72999, operated by Johnson, Ronald B., was involved in an accident near Drift River, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 March 1993 at 15:23

Classification

Accident

Location

Drift River, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

61.0800, -151.1602

Aircraft

Piper PA-22

Registration

N72999

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Johnson, Ronald B.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Palmer → King Salmon

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC93LA046

Nobody was injured.

THE PILOTS INADVERTENT VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC CONDITIONS. FACTORS WERE THE RISING TERRAIN AND THE WHITEOUT CONDITIONS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING THE PILOT'S FIRST ATTEMPT TO FLY THROUGH LAKE CLARK PASS, HE MISTAKENLY TURNED UP THE WRONG VALLEY. WHEN THE ALREADY POOR FLIGHT VISIBILITY CONTINUED TO DETERIORATE, HE BEGAN A 180 DEGREE TURN TO GET OUT OF THE VALLEY, DURING WHICH HE ENTERED WHITEOUT CONDITIONS. WHEN HE SAW MOUNTAINS ON BOTH SIDES, HE KNEW THAT HE HAD MISSED THE TURN OUT OF THE VALLEY. WITH NO DEPTH PERCEPTION ON WHICH TO ESTIMATE HIS ALTITUDE ABOVE THE GROUND, HE APPLIED FULL ENGINE POWER AND MAINTAINED THE BEST CLIMB ATTITUDE. VERY SOON AFTERWARD THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH, AND NOSED OVER ON, A GLACIER. DURING THE PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING THE PILOT WAS TOLD THAT LAKE CLARK PASS WAS FORECAST TO BE MARGINAL VFR TO IFR.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.