N4141J

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On November 5, 2006, about 1305 Alaska Standard time, a wheel-equipped Cessna 180E airplane, N4141J, sustained substantial damage when it collided with the ground during a forced landing on a remote island, about 3 miles west of Cordova, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by the pilot. The commercial certificated pilot, the sole occupant, received fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a VFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated at a private airstrip near Wasilla, Alaska, about 1152, and was en route to the Merle K. (Mudhole) Smith Airport, Cordova.

The pilot received a weather briefing via telephone from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Kenai Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) at 0734. He requested weather information for Cordova and Valdez, Alaska. He was advised that widespread VFR conditions prevailed, a chance of isolated precipitation, and prevailing winds from the north. He requested the winds aloft forecast for 9,000 feet, and the flight service station specialist provided a forecast of 050 degrees at 15 knots over the Anchorage, Alaska, area, and 040 degrees at 23 knots over the Middleton Island, Alaska, area.

At 1152, the pilot contacted the Palmer Flight Service Station (FSS), Palmer, Alaska, via radio and filed a VFR flight plan. He indicated his point of departure was Wasilla, and his route of flight was direct to the Surprise Glacier, direct Tatitlek (Alaska), and direct to Cordova, a distance of about 140 miles. He indicated that the time en route was 1.5 hours, and he had 2.0 to 2.5 hours of fuel.

At 1301:52, the pilot contacted the Juneau AFSS via radio on a frequency of 122.5, and only gave his call sign (the airplane's registration number). The flight service station specialist acknowledged the radio contact with the call sign, and at 1302:00, the pilot stated: "Flight plan to Cordova. Engine out, ah, landing just east of Cordova, in a field."

The FSS specialist replied at 1302:13 by stating, "N4141J, ah Juneau Radio, you want to cancel that VFR." The pilot then answered at 1302:19, stating, "Engine out. Emergency landing. Mayday Mayday."

At 1302:26, the AFSS specialist requested a position report, and at 1302:31, the pilot replied, "One mile west of Cordova." At 1302:40, the specialist stated, "N41J, say again." The specialist made two additional radio calls to the airplane with no response.

At 1303:35, the AFSS specialist made a radio broadcast, stating, "Any aircraft, any aircraft, ah Cordova, 121.5, Juneau Radio."

Alaska State Trooper personnel from Cordova began a fixed-wing aerial search, and volunteers began a ground search for the airplane. It was located about 1421 at the edge of an open area surrounded by trees on Hawkins Island, about 3 miles west of Cordova.

The pilot was the previous owner/operator of an on-demand air taxi service, based in Cordova. The new owner of the company reported that the pilot was traveling to Cordova, planning to utilize the company's hangar to perform some engine maintenance on the accident airplane.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

Pilot Information

The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land, airplane single-engine sea, and instrument airplane ratings. The most recent second-class medical certificate was issued to the pilot on January 6, 2006, and contained the limitation that he must wear corrective lenses.

No personal flight records were located for the pilot, and the aeronautical experience listed on page 3 of this report was obtained from a review of records on file at the FAA's Airman and Medical Records Center. On the pilot's application for medical certificate, dated January 6, 2006, the pilot indicated that his total aeronautical experience consisted of 6,495 hours, of which 532 were accrued in the previous 6 months.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

An examination of the airplane's maintenance records, and comparison between the airframe and engine logbooks, disclosed several discrepancies in inspection record dates, tachometer hour meter readings, and total time entries. The maintenance records indicated that the most recent inspection was a 100 hour, accomplished on March 14, 2006. At that time, the tachometer hour meter was 285 hours. The airplane and engine had accrued a total time in service of 3,050 hours, and the engine had accrued 837 hours since a major overhaul. The time since overhaul of the propeller was 302 hours. The engine's cylinder compression was noted as: 1 - 78/80; 2 - 68/80; 3 - 73/80; 4 - 74/80; 5 - 76/80; 6 - 75/80.

The maintenance records also contained a hand-written note, dated March 2, 2006, listing inspection and component data. The notes included, among others, an installed appliance inventory, airworthiness directive (AD) status, and engine's cylinder compression values. They were: 1 - 80; 2 - 72; 3 - 73; 4 - 61; 5 - 79; 6 - 69.

The engine logbook noted that a major overhaul was accomplished on April 1, 1996, by an airframe and powerplant mechanic using overhauled and/or new parts to bring the engine to a zero time status. At that time, the engine had accrued a total time of 2,204.19 hours. The engine was reinstalled on the airframe on May 1, 1996.

On December 28, 2004, the airframe logbook noted an annual inspection at a total time of 2,765.8 hours. The next entry in the airframe logbook was dated December 27, 2005, at a total time of 2,766 hours, and indicated that the tachometer was replaced and the tach hour meter was set at zero.

The next entry in the airframe logbook was dated February 15, 2005, indicating a total time of 2,670 hours, and a tach time of 20.2. At that time, the airplane received an avionics/navigation package installed as part of the FAA's Capstone Project. The airplane had been utilized in the past in an on-demand air taxi service based in Cordova, and the avionics equipment installation included a universal access transceiver (UAT) for use with the automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) service, a Garmin 480/CNX-80 radio/global position system (GPS) receiver with terrain database, and a multifunction display. At the time of the accident, the airplane was personally owned.

On April 25, 2005, at a tach time of 68 hours, and a total time of 2,717.8 hours, the airframe logbook noted empennage repairs. On May 15, 2005, the airframe logbook documented a 100 hour inspection, and listed a tach time of 90 hours, and a total time of 2,855 hours.

On November 30, 2005, at a tach time of 187 hours, and total engine time of 2,952 hours, the engine logbook noted the engine's cylinder compression values as follows: 1 - 45; 2 - 78; 3 - 70; 4 - 72; 5 - 78; 6 - 75. The number 1 cylinder was replaced and the engine received an annual inspection endorsement.

On January 19, 2006, the engine logbook noted that at a tach time of 217 hours, the right magneto was replaced, the carburetor was replaced, and the number 5 cylinder was removed, its bore was honed, and new rings and a seal kit were installed.

At the time of the accident, the tachometer hour meter indicated 393.5 hours, giving a total time for the airplane and engine of 3,158.5 hours, an engine time since overhaul of 945.5 hours, and 108.5 hours since the most recent inspection.

No record of a fuel purchase for the airplane's accident flight was located during the investigation. The pilot noted during his contact with the Palmer FSS that the airplane had either 2, or 2.5 hours of fuel aboard.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The closest weather reporting facility is the Merle K. (Mudhole) Smith Airport, Cordova, which is located about 12 miles east of the accident site. At 1253, an aviation routine weather report (METAR) was reporting, in part: Wind, calm; visibility, 10 statute miles; clouds and sky condition, few at 3,000 feet; temperature, 30 degrees F; dew point, 13 degrees F; altimeter, 29.89 inHg.

The terminal forecast for Cordova, issued at 0832, and valid until 0900 on November 6, was reporting, in part: Wind, variable at 4 knots; visibility, greater than 6 statute miles; clouds and sky condition, 20,000 feet scattered.

The area forecast for the central gulf coast of Alaska, issued at 1145, and valid until 2400, was reporting, in part: Clouds and weather, sky clear. Surface wind out of bays and passes, from the north with gusts to 25 knots. In the vicinity of the Copper River Delta, surface winds from the north with gusts to 50 knots. Outlook, valid from 2400 until 1800 on November 6, VFR with wind. Turbulence, isolated moderate turbulence below 3,000 feet. Icing and freezing level, nothing significant, freezing level at the surface.

COMMUNICATIONS

The FAA provided copies of telephone and radio communications tapes maintained by the FAA at the Kenai AFSS. The FAA reported that "all services provided by Kenai AFSS and Palmer FSS were normal, and there were no pertinent transmissions." The FAA did not provide a written transcript of the pilot's communications with Kenai AFSS or Palmer FSS. After departure, the pilot made no unusual communications until his emergency radio call.

A transcript of the air to ground communications between the airplane and the FAA's Juneau AFSS facility is included in the public docket of this accident.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) and the parties noted in this report, examined the airplane wreckage at the accident site on November 6 and November 7. The nose of the airplane was resting against an embankment/hillside along the edge of a meadow on a magnetic heading of 104 degrees (All heading/bearings noted in this report are oriented using magnetic north.) No damage was observed to the trees surrounding the meadow, except for o...