N1997X

On November 28, 1995, about 1500 Alaska standard time, a wheel equipped Cessna 182H, N1997X, collided with a parked airplane during a forced landing at Koyuk, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country government flight when the accident occurred. The airplane, registered to the pilot and operated on official business by the U.S. Bureau of the Census, was destroyed. The certificated airline transport pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at the Galena airport, Galena, Alaska at 1410.

The pilot reported that he planned a flight to Nome, Alaska, and a landing at Koyuk to conduct a census survey if the weather permitted. While en route, the pilot experienced clear icing conditions and freezing rain at 6,500 feet mean sea level (MSL). He climbed above the conditions to 8,500 feet msl. Due to a low layer of stratus clouds, the pilot initially overflew Koyuk but noticed that the runway was visible. He then made a rapid, low power descent for landing on runway 36. The pilot entered a left base for landing and applied carburetor heat about 500 feet above the ground. The engine suddenly lost 80 to 100 percent of power. The pilot performed an emergency landing on the airport access road that paralleled runway 36, but was unable to stop the airplane before it collided with a wooden post and a parked Piper PA-18 airplane, N2719M.

At 1415, an automated weather observation station (AWOS) located at Koyuk was reporting in part: Sky condition and ceiling, measured 600 feet overcast; visibility, 10 miles; temperature, 11 degrees F; dew point temperature, -11 degrees F; wind, 070 degrees at 3 knots; altimeter, 30.09 inHg. The pilot reported that Nome was reporting a temperature of 18 degrees F, with a dew point of 16 degrees F, and the cloud cover was consistent with a narrow temperature/dew point spread.