Narrative:
A CASA 212 twin-engine airplane, N440RA, sustained substantial damage when it collided with terrain west of the Kotzebue-Ralph Wien Memorial Airport, AK (OTZ).
The captain stated that while en route to Kotzebue, the weather at the airport dropped below VFR minimums, and he received a special VFR clearance. He said that the local area and runway were covered with snow, but when he turned final he could see the airport beacon and associated buildings. He said about 200 feet above the ground on approach he lost sight of the runway environment, and asked the first officer if he could see anything. When the first officer said no, and reported their altitude at 50 feet agl, the captain said he initiated a go-around, but the airplane impacted the terrain short of the runway. The captain reported that there were no known mechanical problems with the airplane or its instruments prior to the accident. The Director of Operations for the operator said the airplane sustained structural damage to the fuselage near the left main landing gear.
An Federal Aviation Administration flight service specialist at the airport said the visibility had been about 1-1/4 miles, but dropped to 1/4-mile rapidly during the time of the approach. Weather observations taken at the airport showed that about 3 minutes before the accident, the visibility was 1 mile in light snow and blowing snow, wind as 160 degrees at 28 knots gusting to 32. About 1 minute before the accident, the visibility was reported as 1/4-mile in light snow and blowing snow, wind from 160 degrees at 33 knots gusting to 36. About 3 minutes after the accident, the visibility remained at 1/4-mile in light snow and blowing snow, and the wind was reported as 170 degrees at 35 knots with gusts to 42.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The flight crew's decision to continue flight into adverse weather. Contributing to the accident was blowing snow which limited their visibility during final approach to land."
accident date: 14-02-2009
type: CASA C-212 Aviocar 200
registration: N440RA
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Saturday 14 February 2009 |
| Time: | 11:02 |
| Type: |  CASA C-212 Aviocar 200 |
| Operator: | Arctic Transportation Services |
| Registration: | N440RA |
| MSN: | 174 |
| First flight: | 1980-12-19 (28 years 2 months) |
| Total airframe hrs: | 29161 |
| Engines: | 2 Garrett TPE331-10R-5 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Aircraft fate: | Repaired |
| Location: | 1 km (0.6 mls) W of Kotzebue-Ralph Wien Memorial Airport, AK (OTZ) ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | Landing (LDG) |
| Nature: | Cargo |
| Departure airport: | Kiana-Bob Barker Memorial Airport, AK (IAN/PAIK), United States of America |
| Kotzebue-Ralph Wien Memorial Airport, AK (OTZ/PAOT), United States of America |
A CASA 212 twin-engine airplane, N440RA, sustained substantial damage when it collided with terrain west of the Kotzebue-Ralph Wien Memorial Airport, AK (OTZ).
The captain stated that while en route to Kotzebue, the weather at the airport dropped below VFR minimums, and he received a special VFR clearance. He said that the local area and runway were covered with snow, but when he turned final he could see the airport beacon and associated buildings. He said about 200 feet above the ground on approach he lost sight of the runway environment, and asked the first officer if he could see anything. When the first officer said no, and reported their altitude at 50 feet agl, the captain said he initiated a go-around, but the airplane impacted the terrain short of the runway. The captain reported that there were no known mechanical problems with the airplane or its instruments prior to the accident. The Director of Operations for the operator said the airplane sustained structural damage to the fuselage near the left main landing gear.
An Federal Aviation Administration flight service specialist at the airport said the visibility had been about 1-1/4 miles, but dropped to 1/4-mile rapidly during the time of the approach. Weather observations taken at the airport showed that about 3 minutes before the accident, the visibility was 1 mile in light snow and blowing snow, wind as 160 degrees at 28 knots gusting to 32. About 1 minute before the accident, the visibility was reported as 1/4-mile in light snow and blowing snow, wind from 160 degrees at 33 knots gusting to 36. About 3 minutes after the accident, the visibility remained at 1/4-mile in light snow and blowing snow, and the wind was reported as 170 degrees at 35 knots with gusts to 42.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The flight crew's decision to continue flight into adverse weather. Contributing to the accident was blowing snow which limited their visibility during final approach to land."
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
» NTSBPhotos
accident date: 14-02-2009
type: CASA C-212 Aviocar 200
registration: N440RA
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Kiana-Bob Barker Memorial Airport, AK to Kotzebue-Ralph Wien Memorial Airport, AK as the crow flies is 94 km (59 miles).
Distance from Kiana-Bob Barker Memorial Airport, AK to Kotzebue-Ralph Wien Memorial Airport, AK as the crow flies is 94 km (59 miles).
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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