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. The accident occurred about 16 miles northeast of Hoonah, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by Air Excursions of Juneau, Alaska, as a visual flight rules (VFR) cargo flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135. 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 at 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 NTSB investigator-in-charge, the director of operations for Air Excursions reported that during the flight, company dispatch lost all contact with the airplane. When the airplane failed to reach its destination, a search was initiated. The fragmented wreckage was located in a densely wooded area along its anticipated route. The pilot had not reported any mechanical anomalies. Another Air Excursions pilot flying nearby at the time reported hearing the accident pilot making routine position reports near Point Howard over the company radio frequency just prior to the accident.
Personnel Information
The pilot, age 56, held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, multi-engine land, single-engine sea, and instrument airplane. His most recent first-class medical certificate was issued on May 22, 2012, with the limitation that he must wear corrective lenses for near and distant vision. According to records provided by Air Excursions, the pilot had logged about 3,708 hours of total flight experience, of which 175 were accrued in the previous 90 days. He completed a biennial flight review on June 20, 2012, in a Piper PA-32-300 series airplane.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was a Piper PA-32-301, manufactured in 1980, and equipped with a Lycoming IO-540 series engine. According to the operator, the airplane had a total time in service of 15,529 flight hours. The last recorded inspection of the engine and airframe was a 100-hour inspection on July 29, 2012, about 29 flight hours before the accident.
Meteorological Information
The closest weather reporting facility was Hoonah Airport, about 16 miles south-southwest of the accident site. At 0856, about 26 minutes after the accident, a weather observation from Hoonah Airport reported: wind 060 degrees true at 6 knots; visibility 4 statute miles with light rain and mist; clouds and sky condition, 2,300 feet few, 3,300 feet overcast; temperature 55°F; dew point 54°F; altimeter 30.15 inHg. Pilots flying in the area at the time reported rain and mist with low ceilings, reduced visibility, and mountain obscuration.
Wreckage and Impact Information
Continuous poor weather prevented the NTSB investigator from reaching the accident site until August 4. The airplane impacted steep, mountainous, tree-covered terrain southwest of Point Howard, adjacent to the southeastern shoreline of Howard Bay, at an elevation of about 900 feet mean sea level. The average heights of surrounding trees exceeded 100 feet, and large sections of the fragmented structure remained suspended in the tall trees. Portions of the severely fragmented wreckage were scattered along a debris path oriented on a magnetic heading of 190 degrees, measuring about 300 feet in length. All major components were within the wreckage path. Due to impact damage, control continuity could not be established at the site. The first visible portion was a section of the right wing high in the trees. The wreckage path started as a shallow entry with an increasing downward arch. About mid-field, a large section of the aft cabin remained suspended. The engine impacted the ground about three-quarters of the distance, and the instrument panel and engine firewall were at the end. Examination of the engine and propeller revealed torsional twisting and bending of the propeller and hot metal plastic folding of the exhaust manifold. Postaccident examination showed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The wreckage was not recovered.
Medical and Pathological Information
A postmortem examination attributed the pilot's cause of death to multiple blunt force traumatic injuries. A toxicological examination by the FAA's Civil Aeromedical Institute on September 4, 2012, was negative for alcohol or drugs.
Additional Information
The FAA implemented automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) technology in Alaska, and the accident airplane was equipped with an avionics package as part of that program. Formerly known as Capstone, the joint industry/FAA program provides pilots with situational awareness by displaying the airplane's position over terrain using GPS technology and a moving map display. The equipment installed included two Chelton Multi-function display (MFD) units: one providing a moving map with terrain awareness, and the other providing primary flight display information. The NTSB review of archived data showed the airplane's departure from Juneau, climb, and track en route. After crossing the north end of Admiralty Island, the airplane started a shallow descent over Lynn Canal as it progressed toward Point Howard. It passed over Point Howard and Howard Bay before continuing. The recorded flight track disappeared southwest of the western shoreline of Howard Bay in steep, mountainous terrain. The track showed no unusual or extreme deviations of altitude, speed, or course before disappearing. Another pilot flying a Piper PA-31-350 near the accident site reported watching the accident airplane on ADS-B. He said as the accident airplane approached Point Howard, it began a gradual descent near rising terrain. When he attempted to contact the accident pilot on the company frequency, the track abruptly disappeared, and there was no further contact.