Status:	Final
Date:	02 MAR 2003
Time:	15:04
Type:	Cessna 208B Grand Caravan
Operator:	Bering Air
Registration:	N205BA
C/n / msn:	208B-0890
First flight:	2001
Total airframe hrs:	2082
Engines:	1 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-114A
Crew:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Passengers:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Total:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Airplane damage:	Substantial
Airplane fate:	Unknown
Location:	1,6 km (1 mls) W of Kotzebue Airport, AK (OTZ) (United States of America)
Phase:	Approach (APR)
Nature:	Ferry/positioning
Departure airport:	Shungnak Airport, AK (SHG), United States of America
Destination airport:	Kotzebue Airport, AK (OTZ/PAOT), United States of America

Narrative:
After having been cleared to enter the Kotzebue airspace, the pilot established a GPS waypoint 4 miles (6,4 km) from runway 08 and descended to 1,000 feet. He continued inbound and descended to an altitude of 300 feet. At one mile from the airport, the pilot said he looked up from the instrument panel but could not see the airport. He also stated that he was in a whiteout condition. The airplane collided with the snow-covered sea ice, short of the runway threshold.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The pilot's continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions, and his failure to maintain altitude/clearance above the ground, resulting in a collision with snow and ice covered terrain during the final approach phase of a VFR landing. Factors in the accident were whiteout conditions and snow-covered terrain."

Events:

Sources:
» NTSB ANC03LA029