Piper PA-32 accident near Haines, AK
On January 15, 2002, a Piper PA-32 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Haines, AK. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- January 15, 2002
- Place
- Haines, AK
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 59.274°N, 135.368°W
- NTSB ID
- 20020204X00181
Official records · ANC02FA010
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- Juneau AFSS Radio Transcript: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On January 15, 2002, about 0820 Alaska standard time, a Piper PA-32 airplane, N30004, sustained substantial damage during an in-flight collision with trees and terrain, about five miles northeast of the Haines Airport, Haines Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) domestic passenger flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated as Flight 1894 by Skagway Air Services Inc., Skagway, Alaska. The commercial certificated pilot, the sole occupant, received fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the Haines airport, but low cloud conditions prevailed along the route of flight. A VFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Skagway Airport, about 0810. The director of operations for the operator reported the flight was scheduled to depart Skagway for Haines, where the pilot was to pick up passengers for a continuing flight to Juneau, Alaska. The distance from Skagway to Haines is about 14 miles. The route of the flight is along fjord type terrain consisting of steep mountain slopes above a long inlet of water (Taiya Inlet). The slopes of the inlet have areas of steep forested terrain. The director of operations said he visually checked the weather conditions from Skagway toward Haines about 0600. He said he could see to Taiya Point, a point of land along the west side of the Taiya Inlet about 10 miles south of Skagway. The director of operations said the weather that he could see consisted of scattered clouds about 800 to 900 feet along the west side of th
Probable cause
The pilot's continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions, and subsequent collision with trees while in cruise flight. Factors in the accident were weather conditions consisting of freezing rain, mist, and low ceilings.
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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.
