KOTZEBUE, AK, USA
N3555C
PIPER PA-31-350
DURING THE IFR APPROACH TO THE AIRPORT, THE FLIGHT HAD BEEN CLEARED FOR THE ILS/DME FOR RUNWAY 8. THE PILOT PERFORMED THE PUBLISHED PROCEDURE TURN AND WAS ESTABLISHED ON THE LOCALIZER AND GLIDE SLOPE AT ABOUT 5.5 MILES DME. THE FLIGHT CONTINUED THE DESCENT AS THE PILOT COMPLETED THE BEFORE LANDING CHECKLIST. AT ABOUT 5 MILES DME, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO CALL THE FSS TO REPORT FINAL APPROACH FIX INBOUND, HOWEVER, HE HAD TO WAIT FOR ANOTHER AIRPLANE TRANSMITTING. THE PILOT THEN CONTACTED THE FSS AND REPORTED 4.5 MILES DME. SHORTLY AFTER THE RADIO CALL, THE PILOT FELT THE AIRPLANE CONTACT THE GROUND. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HIS LAST INSTRUMENT SCAN THAT HE COULD REMEMBER SHOWED THAT HE WAS ON THE GLIDE PATH AND LOCALIZER AT AN ALTITUDE OF 1,250 FEET. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE VISIBILITY WAS ABOUT 100 YARDS AND BLOWING SNOW.
PILOT FACTOR IN THAT THE PROPER GLIDEPATH AND ALTITUDE WAS NOT MAINTAINED. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: INATTENTIVENESS AND SNOW.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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