Cessna 207A N7438U

Summary

On 22 April 1998 at about 19:30 local time, a Cessna 207A registered N7438U, operated by Hageland Aviation Services Inc, was involved in an accident near Scammon Bay, Alaska, United States. 7 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 April 1998 at 19:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Scammon Bay, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

61.7907, -165.9600

Aircraft

Cessna 207A

Registration

N7438U

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Hageland Aviation Services Inc

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Hooper Bay → Scammon Bay

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC98LA040

2 people had minor injuries.

The pilot's continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions. Factors in the accident were low ceilings, and whiteout conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

A VFR cross-country air taxi flight with six passengers departed for a remote village. The pilot had previously flown along the accident route that transited a mountainous area. Low clouds were present over the mountains, and the pilot utilized a mountain pass to transit the area about 200 feet above the ground. He decided that route was not suitable for the accident flight with any passengers. During the accident flight, the pilot proceed east of the previously utilized mountain pass. The flight however, still necessitated transiting an area of low hills. As the flight was approaching the destination, snow covered terrain was rising toward low clouds over the mountains. The pilot observed what he thought was the approach end of the destination airport, and began a descent. The apparent runway was actually a creek bottom. The pilot began a turn, and observed rising terrain. He stopped the turn and applied full power. The airplane collided with rising terrain in a whiteout condition, about 900 feet msl. A passenger in the airplane reported that about 10 minutes after departure, the airplane entered an area of fog at an altitude of 3,000 feet msl. His view of the ground disappeared, and the area around the airplane was completely white. About 5 minutes after entering the fog, the airplane collided with snow covered terrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.