N1589F

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On June 19, 2000, about 1815 Alaska daylight time, a wheel/ski equipped Cessna 185E airplane, N1589F, was destroyed when it broke-up in flight over a remote area of the Denali National Park and Preserve, about 52 miles west of Talkeetna, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) U.S. Government flight by the U.S. Department of Interior, National Parks Service (NPS), Talkeetna, Alaska, when the accident occurred. The airplane, provided by Hudson Air Service Inc., Talkeetna, was utilized on an on-demand Title 14, CFR Part 135 flight. The airline transport certificated pilot and the three passengers received fatal injuries. A VFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Talkeetna airport at 1710.

The flight was conducted to transport a National Park Service ranger, and two volunteer rangers, to the Denali National Park base camp, located at 7,200 feet msl on the southeast fork of the Kahiltna glacier, about 48 miles northwest of Talkeetna. The three rangers were to begin mountain patrol operations on Mt. McKinley.

The director of operations for the operator reported that variable weather conditions near the National Park Service's base camp made landing at the base camp problematic throughout the day of the accident. The accident pilot had flown a company Cessna 172 over the areas of the Ruth and Tokositna glaciers between about 0950 and 1050. When he departed Talkeetna at 0947 in the Cessna 172, a flight service station specialist at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Talkeetna Flight Service Station (FSS), opened a VFR flight plan for the flight, and gave the pilot an advisory that stated, in part: "AIRMET for mountain obscuration and turbulence are current for Cook Inlet, and Susitna Valley..."

The director of operations reported that before departing on the accident flight, the pilot commented he would wait to see if conditions improved during the day near the Kahiltna base camp before canceling the flight for the National Park Service.

The pilot filed a VFR flight plan with the Talkeetna FSS, and departed Talkeetna at 1710, headed for the Kahiltna base camp in the accident airplane. When the pilot filed his flight plan, the FSS specialist included an advisory that stated, in part: "...still an AIRMET for low altitude turbulence, let me know if you need details." The National Park Ranger on board, contacted the Talkeetna Ranger Station by a hand-held radio about 1710, and reported that he would be unable to do any flight following during the flight, but he would contact the ranger station when the airplane landed at the Kahiltna base camp.

After departure, at 1714, the accident airplane pilot talked via radio to another airplane pilot (N70176) about conditions in the area of the Kahiltna base camp. The radio conversation was recorded at the Talkeetna FSS. The accident pilot asked: "...you haven't heard anybody talking about getting up to the base camp have you?" The pilot of N70176 replied: "No, I was in on the Ruth (glacier) and that is open at the moment, but looking from Moose's Tooth (peak) over south Hunter (pass), looked like it was closed, and I haven't heard anything about the Kahiltna."

About 1757, the ranger on board the accident airplane contacted the Talkeetna ranger station by a hand-held radio and stated the flight was returning to Talkeetna from the area of the Kahiltna icefall.

The pilot of a McKinley Air Service airplane landed at the Kahiltna base camp in the afternoon of the accident. The pilot reported that due to a dead battery, she did not depart the base camp until about 1800, heading for Talkeetna. As she proceeded southbound, she said the accident airplane pilot contacted her via radio and reported low clouds over the Kahiltna glacier icefall, and said he was returning to Talkeetna. The McKinley Air pilot also observed low weather conditions over the icefall and headed back to the base camp. The accident airplane pilot again called the McKinley Air pilot and reported that the weather conditions had closed in over the Big Bend of the Kahiltna glacier (lower on the mountain, south of the base camp). He also reported that the Pica glacier (east of the Kahiltna glacier) area was closed, but he could see light on the Lacuna glacier (west of the Kahiltna glacier), and was going to head toward that location. The McKinley Air pilot responded by saying that attempting to proceed to the Kahiltna base camp was not an option. This was the last radio transmission received from either the accident airplane pilot or passengers. The McKinley Air pilot then landed at the base camp where the airplane and passengers remained overnight due to fog and snow showers. The McKinley Air pilot said that the wind was very light, with no turbulence.

The accident airplane did not arrive in Talkeetna, and was reported overdue at 1955. The wreckage was located on June 20, 2000, at 1617, by search aircraft. An Alaska State Trooper helicopter landed below the accident site and verified the identity of the wreckage.

The accident occurred during the hours of daylight at latitude 62 degrees, 42.489 minutes north, and longitude 151 degrees, 45.385 minutes west.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot was the chief pilot for the operator. He held an airline transport pilot certificate with a multiengine rating. He also held a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land, and single engine sea ratings. The most recent second-class medical certificate was issued to the pilot on April 18, 2000, and contained no limitations.

The aeronautical experience listed on page 3 of this report was obtained from a review of information from the operator. According to the operator's records, the pilot's total aeronautical experience consisted of about 9,095 hours, of which about 2,000 were accrued in the accident airplane make and model. In the preceding 90 and 30 days prior to the accident, the pilot flew a total of 142 and 108 hours, respectively.

The pilot's normal scheduled duty day was from 0800 to 2200. In the three days prior to the accident, the pilot was off duty on June 17. On June 18, he flew 6.25 hours. On the accident date of June 19, he flew 3.0 hours.

The pilot was hired by the operator on March 13, 1995. His most recent company recurrent training was completed on February 6, 2000. Some of the training topics covered in the operator's training manual include mountain flying, and glacier operations.

The pilot's most recent FAA Part 135.293, and Part 135.299, airman competency/proficiency check was conducted on April 18, 2000, in a Cessna 172.

The pilot received an interagency pilot evaluation/qualification recurrent check from a Department of the Interior, Office of Aircraft Services inspector, on April 25, 2000, in a Cessna 185.

The operator holds an on-demand air taxi certificate. The company's management personnel include the director of operations, the chief pilot, and the director of maintenance. The duties, responsibilities, and authority, listed in the operator's operations manual, for the director of operations, include: Ensure the safe and organized operation of the company; ensure that company aircraft are airworthy; train and instruct company personnel in their specific duties; responsible for the safe operation and oversight of aircraft and company personnel; acts as the representative of the company; may dispatch and cancel flights; and is the final authority for company operations, policies, aircraft, pilots, and ground personnel.

The chief pilot duties, responsibilities, and authority, include: Ensure that company pilots operate within the FAA's and company's policies; conduct pilot training and ensure they conduct themselves in a professional manner; ensure that pilot records are current; and may dispatch flights in accordance with the company training program.

The director of maintenance duties, responsibilities, and authority, include: Schedule/perform required maintenance and inspections; keep the maintenance records up-to-date, including pilot notification forms and ADs; notify the director of operations of any mechanical irregularities; act as the company maintenance representative between the FAA and the company; remove from, or return company aircraft to service; and may operate company aircraft on the ground.

In the Pilot's Responsibilities and Procedures section of the company operations manual, it includes, among others, the requirement that before flight, the pilot-in-command shall ensure the required airworthiness inspections have been made. This can be accomplished by a review of the Pilot's Notification sheet that is maintained for each company airplane.

In the operational control section of the company operations manual, it includes the following: "The director of operations will have the responsibility for operational control. If the director of operations is not available, he may delegate this responsibility to the chief pilot, or the director of maintenance. In such a case, the delegated person must be notified of each and every flight that occurs. If, for any reason, the PIC (pilot-in-command) of a flight feels that the flight cannot be conducted or completed, he has the right to turn down, or cancel the flight."

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

At the time of the accident, the airplane had accrued a total of 7,130.4 hours. The airplane was maintained on an approved aircraft inspection program (AAIP). The AAIP has four inspection cycles that are scheduled every 50 hours. Each inspection cycle may be completed within 10 hours before, to 10 hours after, the anticipated 50 hour cycle. The completion of all four cycles qualifies as an annual inspection. The latest four cycle inspection was completed on December 3, 1999. Examination of the maintenance records revealed that the most recent inspection cycle was number three, accomplished on May 28, 2000, a...