Piper PA-28-140 accident near Cantwell, AK
On August 1, 1998, a Piper PA-28-140 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Cantwell, AK. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- August 1, 1998
- Place
- Cantwell, AK
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 63.010°N, 149.399°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001211X10737
NTSB summary
On August 1, 1998, about 1340 Alaska daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140 airplane, N2350T, was destroyed when it collided with rising terrain, about 37 miles southwest of Cantwell, Alaska, at position 63 degrees 14.54 minutes North latitude, 150 degrees 11.95 minutes West longitude. The solo private pilot sustained fatal injuries. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The flight departed Merrill Field, Anchorage, Alaska, at 1238, destined for Fairbanks, Alaska. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed along the proposed route of flight at the time of the accident, and a VFR flight plan was filed. The pilot did not hold an instrument rating. About 1335, an air taxi pilot inbound for Talkeetna, Alaska, overheard a radio transmission on 123.6 MHz from the accident pilot calling Talkeetna Radio. The accident pilot stated his full aircraft call sign, and said he was lost in the clouds and wanted help. The Talkeetna Flight Service Station did not receive the transmission, but two airborne air taxi pilots did. Both air taxi pilots told the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC) during telephone interviews on August 4, that the pilot sounded stressed and frantic. They reported to the IIC that the pilot began to give his position, and then stated he was tracking 235. No other transmissions were received. An Emergency Locator Transmitter signal was received from the south side of Mount McKinley at 1440. The airplane was located about 2100 in mountainous terrain by an Alaska Air National Guard helicopter. Terrain within 10 miles of the accident site extends up to 10,000 feet msl. T
Probable cause
The pilot's intentional continued VFR flight into IMC. Factors were the scattered to broken clouds, and the mountainous terrain.
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Browse: Alaska · Piper 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.
