Cessna 172 N736QK

Summary

On 25 June 2003 at about 19:05 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N736QK was involved in an accident near Skagway, Alaska, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 June 2003 at 19:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Skagway, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

59.5856, -135.1669

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N736QK

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Juneau → Whitehorse

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC03FA061

2 people died.

The pilot's continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in an in-flight collision with mountainous terrain. Factors associated with the accident were low ceilings, rain, and fog.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The certificated private pilot departed on a VFR cross-country flight over mountainous terrain. In order for the pilot to reach his destination, the flight would need to traverse a commonly used mountain pass. Prior to departure, the pilot obtained a weather briefing that included AIRMET's for mountain obscuration along the planned route of flight. The Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) briefer advised that there were no pilot weather reports available for the area around the mountain pass. The AFSS specialist added that weather conditions, specifically in mountain passes, were forecast to deteriorate, with marginal VFR conditions, low ceilings, rain, and fog. A road maintenance crew working on a portion of the highway near the accident site, reported low clouds, fog, and reduced visibility in the area just before the accident, and they elected to stop working due to safety concerns associated with deteriorating weather conditions. One witness reported that while sitting in his vehicle, waiting for weather conditions to improve, he heard what sounded like a low flying airplane headed towards him. He said that as he looked up, he saw the accident airplane fly out of a cloud, headed north, and parallel to the east side of the valley. As the airplane continued, he heard it "clip the side of the mountain." After the airplane contacted the mountain, the wings rocked back-and-forth, and the airplane once again entered a cloudbank. He said that just after he lost sight of the airplane for the second time, the engine speed increased significantly, followed by the sound of the airplane impacting terrain. Postaccident inspection of the airplane disclosed no evidence of any preaccident mechanical anomalies.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.