Piper PA-32-301 accident near Hoonah, AK
On August 2, 2012, a Piper PA-32-301 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Hoonah, AK. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- August 2, 2012
- Place
- Hoonah, AK
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-301 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 58.259°N, 135.120°W
- NTSB ID
- 20120802X85728
Official records · ANC12FA083
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On August 2, 2012, about 0830 Alaska daylight time, a Piper PA-32-301 airplane, N8200M, was destroyed when it collided with steep, mountainous, tree-covered terrain during cruise flight, about 16 miles northeast of Hoonah, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by Air Excursions, Juneau, Alaska, as a visual flight rules (VFR) cargo flight, under the provision of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations Part 135, when the accident occurred. The certificated commercial pilot, the sole occupant, received fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the point of departure, and company VFR flight following procedures were in effect. The airplane departed Juneau, about 0820 as flight 303, bound for Gustavus, Alaska. The area between Juneau and Gustavus consists of remote inland fjords, coastal waterways, and steep mountainous, tree-covered terrain. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on August 2, the director of operations for Air Excursions reported that during the flight to Gustavus, company dispatch lost all contact with the airplane. When the airplane failed to reach its destination, a search was initiated. Subsequently, the fragmented airplane wreckage was located in a densely wooded area along its anticipated route of flight. The pilot had not reported any mechanical anomalies. Another Air Excursions pilot flying in the area at the time of the accident, reported hearing the accident pilot making routine position reports near Point Howard over the company’s radio fr
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees and terrain while in cruise flight in marginal visual meteorological conditions.
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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.
