Aviation Accident Summaries

Aviation Accident Summary ANC91FA014

40 W OF CLEAR, AK, USA

Aircraft #1

N4030V

CESSNA 170

Analysis

ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE AIRPLANE LANDED AT WIEN LAKE AT 1200 ALASKA STANDARD TIME (A.S.T) AND THE WEATHER WAS VERY POOR. WITNESSES DESCRIBED VISIBILITY AS 600 FEET WITH FALLING BLOWING SNOW. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED WIEN LAKE AT 1330 A.S.T., AND THE WITNESSES AGAIN DESCRIBED THE WEATHER AS VERY POOR. THEY WERE UNABLE TO SEE THE ENTIRE TAKEOFF RUN DUE TO VISIBILITY. THEY HEARD THE ENGINE OPERATING AT WHAT THEY DESCRIBED AS FULL POWER UNTIL THEY HEARD A LOUD THUMP. ALL ENGINE NOISE CEASED AT THAT TIME. THERE IS NO OFFICIAL WEATHER OBSERVATION STATION AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL IRREGULARITIES FOUND WITH THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.

Probable Cause and Findings

THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S LOSS OF CONTROL WHILE ATTEMPTING TO OPERATE UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULE WHILE IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE WHITEOUT CONDITION CREATED BY THE VAST EXPANSE OF WHITE LAKE SURFACE, AND THE BLOWING SNOW WHICH FURTHER REDUCED THE VISIBILITY.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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