2001 — Oct 10, PenAir flight 350 crash after takeoff (wing icing), Dillingham, AK–10

–10  Lombardo, David. “Final Report: Wing ice cited in Caravan crash.” AINonline, 1-28-2008.

–10  Aircraft Crashes Record Office (Geneva, Switzerland). Alaska, USA, 2000-2009.

–10  NTSB. “Investigative Update: Crash of PenAir Flight 350, Dillingham, Alaska.” 12-20-2001.

 

Narrative Information

 

Alaska Journal of Commerce: “….The plane was bound for King Salmon when it crashed shortly after takeoff. Witnesses saw the plane take off and then suddenly nose dive about half a mile from the runway. The weather was clear and windless the morning of the accident.

 

“….PenAir officials are doubling up pilots on the airline’s fleet of four Cessna 208s, said president Orin Seybert. “We are doing this voluntarily, for ourselves and for our customers,’’ Seybert said. Adding a pilot reduces the airplane’s payload by about 200 pounds, but adds experience in the cockpit, Seybert said. “It costs us a little money but adds a much greater level of safety,’’ Seybert said.

 

“Of those killed in the crash, four were board members of the Bristol Bay Native Association. Two others were employees of the Native corporation.

 

“Bryan Carricaburu, chief pilot and director of flight operations, said Seybert, who lived many years in Dillingham, was related to several of the crash victims….” (Alaska Journal of Commerce (James MacPherson). “PenAir crash cause still mystery.” 1-6-2002.)

 

Lombardo: “CESSNA 208, DILLINGHAM, ALASKA, OCT. 10, 2001–At about 9:26 a.m. Alaska daylight time, Peninsula Airways (dba Pen-Air) Flight 350, Cessna Caravan N9530F, crashed shortly after takeoff from Dillingham Airport (DLG). The pilot and nine passengers were killed and the airplane was destroyed. One passenger was airlifted to a hospital in Anchorage but died the next day. The impact site was located about 0.7 nm northeast of the departure end of Runway 01 at DLG. There was no post-crash fire. Flight 350 was destined for King Salmon, Alaska (AKN), on a scheduled Part 135 flight. VMC prevailed at the time of the accident.

 

“The Safety Board determined the probable cause of the accident to be an in-flight loss of control resulting from upper-surface ice contamination, which the PIC failed to detect during his preflight inspection of the airplane. Contributing to the accident was the lack of a preflight inspection requirement for Caravan pilots to examine at close range the upper surface of the wing for ice contamination when ground icing conditions exist.

 

“N9530F had been parked outside the night before the accident and was subjected to rain, snow and temperatures that dropped below 32 degrees F. Other pilots whose airplanes were also parked outside overnight stated that between a quarter and a half inch of snow and frost covered a layer of ice on their airplanes that morning. Subsequently, ramp personnel de-iced the accident airplane before the flight with a heated mixture of glycol and water. The PenAir ramp supervisor who conducted the de-icing stated that he believed the upper surface of the wing was clear of ice but that he did not physically touch the wing to check for the presence of ice.

 

“Investigators were unable to determine whether the accident pilot checked the wing and tail surfaces for contamination after de-icing, but the Caravan’s high-wing configuration would have hindered the pilot’s ability to see residual clear ice. Company records indicate that the certified commercial pilot completed his initial Caravan flight training two months before the accident and had accumulated a total of 74 hours in the turboprop single.

 

“A witness observed that the airplane’s flight appeared to be normal until it suddenly pitched up, rolled 90 degrees to the left and yawed to the left. The airplane then descended nose down until it disappeared from view. Data from the engine monitoring system revealed that the maximum altitude obtained during the accident flight was about 651 feet msl; Dillingham Airport is 86 feet msl. The airplane crashed in a level attitude.

 

“Investigators found no evidence of pre-impact failures in the structure, flight control systems or instruments. Examination of the engine and propeller revealed no pre-impact failures and confirmed that the engine was running when the airplane hit the ground.” (Lombardo, David A. “Final Report: Wing ice cited in Caravan crash.” AINonline, 1-28-2008.)

 

NTSB: “On October 10, 2001, Peninsula Airways (PenAir) flight 350, a Cessna 208 “Caravan”, N9530F, on a scheduled flight from Dillingham, Alaska to King Salmon, Alaska, crashed shortly after takeoff from Dillingham Airport. The pilot and all nine passengers were fatally injured, and the airplane was destroyed on impact. There was no fire. NTSB investigators are working in the following areas: airworthiness, airplane performance, flight operations, weather, survival factors, and human performance. Preliminary toxicology tests performed on the pilot revealed no evidence of drugs or alcohol.

 

“An examination and teardown of the engine and propeller hub were completed and no preexisting failures were found. Preliminary information has revealed that the engine was running at the time of impact and the propeller was within its operating range. The engine monitor was recovered. The monitor records the maximum engine parameters and any engine faults while the engine is running. This system is normally used for maintenance purposes. Safety Board staff is still analyzing data from the engine monitor of the accident flight. The Board is continuing to examine the airplane’s flight instruments and engine gauges including the airspeed indicators, inter-turbine temperature, stall heat switch, RPM indicator, annunciator panel and torque meter.

 

“The tapes of the pilot’s radio transmissions with air traffic control prior to takeoff on the morning of the accident, and from several previous flights, are also being examined. Preliminary examination has found no evidence of unusual sounds or actions by the pilot prior to takeoff on the accident flight. The Board will release more factual information as it becomes available.” (NTSB. “Investigative Update: Crash of PenAir Flight 350, Dillingham, Alaska” (Press Release). 12-20-2001.)

 

Sources

 

Aircraft Crashes Record Office (Geneva, Switzerland). Alaska, USA, 2000-2009. Accessed 11-4-2015 at: http://www.baaa-acro.com/Pays/Etats-Unis/Alaska-2000-2009.htm

 

Alaska Journal of Commerce (James MacPherson). “PenAir crash cause still mystery.” 1-6-2002. Accessed 11-4-2015 at: http://www.alaskajournal.com/community/2002-01-07/penair-crash-cause-still-mystery

 

Lombardo, David A. “Final Report: Wing ice cited in Caravan crash.” AINonline, 1-28-2008. Accessed 11-4-2015 at: http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/aviation-international-news/2008-01-28/final-report-wing-ice-cited-caravan-crash

 

National Transportation Safety Board. “Investigative Update: Crash of PenAir Flight 350, Dillingham, Alaska” (Press Release). Washington, DC: NTSB, 12-20-2001. Accessed 11-4-2015 at: http://www.ntsb.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/INVESTIGATION_UPDATE_Crash_of_PenAir_Flight_350_Dillingham_Alaska.aspx