Cessna 185F accident near Nightmute, AK
On April 9, 1998, a Cessna 185F (airplane) was involved in an accident near Nightmute, AK. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- April 9, 1998
- Place
- Nightmute, AK
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185F · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 60.490°N, 164.811°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001211X09789
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On April 8, 1998, about 1655 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 185F, airplane, N5485R, was destroyed when the airplane collided with remote, snow covered terrain, about 5 miles west-northwest of Nightmute, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country U.S. Government flight with Y-K Aviation Inc., Bethel, Alaska. The certificated airline transport pilot, and the sole passenger, received fatal injuries. VFR company flight following procedures were in effect. The flight originated at the Toksook Bay Airport, Toksook Bay, Alaska, about 1650, and was en route to Bethel. The pilot departed Bethel, Alaska, about 1545 for Toksook Bay, located on Nelson Island, to pick up the passenger. The passenger, an employee of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Alaska Native Health Service, chartered Y-K Aviation for the flight to Bethel to attend a conference. A resident of the Village of Toksook Bay drove the passenger out to the airport about 1630. The resident reported the weather conditions at the time included light snow and wind. After picking up the passenger, the airplane departed for Bethel. Another resident reported that snow began falling just before the accident airplane arrived in Toksook Bay. The winds were less than 20 knots from the west-southwest. He watched the airplane depart, and climb to about 200 feet above the ground. The resident then lost sight of the airplane due to visibility conditions that he described as between 1/4 and 1/2 mile. The flight did not reach Bethel, and was reported
Probable cause
The pilot's continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions which resulted in spatial disorientation and subsequent loss of aircraft control. Factors in the accident were meteorological conditions consisting of low ceilings, and blowing snow, and the pilot's failure to obtain a preflight weather briefing.
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Browse: Alaska · Cessna aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
