Marshall - Bethel

The commercial pilot was positioning the airplane from the departure airport to another airport. The flight took place on a dark night with overcast skies, and no discernible horizon. The pilot departed and climbed to a cruise altitude between 1,200 and 1,400 feet msl. About 4 miles south of the departure airport, the airplane collided with an east-west ridge at 1,200 feet msl. The ridgeline is perpendicular to the direct route of flight between the departure and destination airports, and rises from west to east with a summit elevation of 1,714 feet msl. The departure airport was a newly commissioned airport 3 miles east-northeast of the old airport. The accident flight was the pilot's second trip to the new airport, and his first night departure from either the old or new airport. Direct flight from the new airport to the destination airport requires a higher altitude to clear the ridgeline than does a direct flight from the old airport. A direct flight from the old airport crosses the same ridgeline farther to the west, where the elevation of the ridge is less than 500 feet msl.

Flight / Schedule

Marshall - Bethel

Registration

N91090

MSN

207-0069

Year of Manufacture

1969

Operator

Grant Aviation

Date

October 28, 2002 at 08:00 PM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Positioning

Flight Phase

Takeoff (climb)

Crash Site

Mountains

Crash Location

Marshall Alaska

Region

North America • United States of America

Coordinates

61.8778°, -162.0811°

Crash Cause

Human factor

Narrative Report

On October 28, 2002 at 08:00 PM, Marshall - Bethel experienced a crash involving Cessna 207 Skywagon/Stationair, operated by Grant Aviation, with the event recorded near Marshall Alaska.

The flight was categorized as positioning and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a mountains crash site.

1 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 1 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.

Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The commercial pilot was positioning the airplane from the departure airport to another airport. The flight took place on a dark night with overcast skies, and no discernible horizon. The pilot departed and climbed to a cruise altitude between 1,200 and 1,400 feet msl. About 4 miles south of the departure airport, the airplane collided with an east-west ridge at 1,200 feet msl. The ridgeline is perpendicular to the direct route of flight between the departure and destination airports, and rises from west to east with a summit elevation of 1,714 feet msl. The departure airport was a newly commissioned airport 3 miles east-northeast of the old airport. The accident flight was the pilot's second trip to the new airport, and his first night departure from either the old or new airport. Direct flight from the new airport to the destination airport requires a higher altitude to clear the ridgeline than does a direct flight from the old airport. A direct flight from the old airport crosses the same ridgeline farther to the west, where the elevation of the ridge is less than 500 feet msl.

Aircraft reference details include registration N91090, MSN 207-0069, year of manufacture 1969.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 61.8778°, -162.0811°.

Fatalities

Total

0

Crew

0

Passengers

0

Other

0

Crash Summary

The commercial pilot was positioning the airplane from the departure airport to another airport. The flight took place on a dark night with overcast skies, and no discernible horizon. The pilot departed and climbed to a cruise altitude between 1,200 and 1,400 feet msl. About 4 miles south of the departure airport, the airplane collided with an east-west ridge at 1,200 feet msl. The ridgeline is perpendicular to the direct route of flight between the departure and destination airports, and rises from west to east with a summit elevation of 1,714 feet msl. The departure airport was a newly commissioned airport 3 miles east-northeast of the old airport. The accident flight was the pilot's second trip to the new airport, and his first night departure from either the old or new airport. Direct flight from the new airport to the destination airport requires a higher altitude to clear the ridgeline than does a direct flight from the old airport. A direct flight from the old airport crosses the same ridgeline farther to the west, where the elevation of the ridge is less than 500 feet msl.

Cause: Human factor

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

1

Passengers On Board

0

Estimated Survivors

1

Fatality Rate

0.0%

Known people on board: 1

Operational Details

Schedule / Flight

Marshall - Bethel

Operator

Grant Aviation

Flight Type

Positioning

Flight Phase

Takeoff (climb)

Crash Site

Mountains

Region / Country

North America • United States of America

Aircraft Details

Registration

N91090

MSN

207-0069

Year of Manufacture

1969