National Transportation Safety Board
Aviation Accident Preliminary Report
Location: Rainy Pass, AK Accident Number: CEN18FA386
Date & Time: 09/24/2018, 1032 AKD Registration: N1738R
Aircraft: CESSNA U206 Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter - Non-scheduled
On September 24, 2018, at 1032 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna U206G airplane, N1738R,
impacted mountainous terrain about 13 miles west of Rainy Pass Lodge Airport (6AK), Rainy Pass, Alaska. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant, was fatally injured and the airplane was destroyed. The airplane was registered to Laughlin Acquisitions LLC and operated by Regal Air under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 as a visual flight rules on-demand cargo flight. Marginal visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed Lake Hood Seaplane Base (PALH), Anchorage, Alaska, and was destined for a private airstrip on the southwest side of the Alaska Range about 30 miles west of the accident site.
The operator reported that the purpose of the flight was to deliver about 400 lbs of lumber to the private airstrip, pick up two passengers and return to the PALH. The operator was tracking the pilot's flight path using Spidertracks (figure 1) and noticed the track stopped at 1031. An Alert Notice was issued for the missing airplane and the U.S. Air Force Alaska Rescue Coordination Center conducted an aerial search mission to locate the airplane. The wreckage was discovered near the end of a mountain valley on a steep mountain side about 3.5 miles southwest of the mouth of Goodman Pass.
The Regal Air chief pilot was flying the same flight path in another company Cessna 206 and was about 20 minutes behind the accident pilot. He was in radio contact with the pilot throughout the flight and most of the communications were related to the current weather conditions and cloud coverage along the route of flight. The chief pilot inquired about how the pilot flew through certain areas along the route in order to stay clear of the clouds. The chief pilot also heard the accident pilot in radio communication with the owner of Rainy Pass Lodge, but he could only hear the pilot's side of the conversation. The pilot lost radio contact with the accident pilot about 1030 and assumed that he had proceeded into Rainy Pass and no longer had line of sight for radio contact. When the chief pilot reached Long Lake Hills he did not feel comfortable continuing the flight due to the low clouds so he turned around and proceeded back to PALH.
The closest official weather observation station is located at 6AK. The weather observer for 6AK reported the following observations. At 0659 wind from 170° at 10 knots, visibility 7 statute miles (sm), light rain, overcast cloud later at 7,000 ft, temperature 6° C, dewpoint 6° C, and a barometric pressure of 29.58 inches of mercury. At 0848 wind from 160° at 12 knots gusting to 18 knots, visibility 7 sm, scattered clouds at 1,500 ft, overcast cloud layer at 4,000 ft, temperature 5° C, dewpoint 4° C, and a barometric pressure of 29.56 inches of mercury. At 1058 wind from 140° at 10 knots, visibility 7 sm, scattered clouds at 1,200 ft, broken clouds at 2,700 ft, temperature 6° C, dewpoint 5° C, and a barometric pressure of 29.53 inches of mercury.
The owner of Rainy Pass Lodge at 6AK stated that he saw the accident airplane fly over his lodge and he made radio contact with the pilot. He stated that he could see Long Lake Hills from 6AK, which is 8 miles southeast, and that the cloud coverage to the southeast was a lot more significant than it was to the northwest near Rainy Pass, which appeared to be dissipating.
On September 26, the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge and
members of the investigative team traveled to the accident site via helicopter and documented the accident site and wreckage. The main wreckage was located about 4,400 ft mean sea level (msl) on the mountain side and was partially covered in snow. The initial impact point, identified by the propeller assembly and cockpit debris, and was located about 4,700 ft msl. Figure 2 is a photo taken from the same altitude and heading as the final Spidertracks point received from the airplane; the figure shows the initial impact area circled in red. The first responders reported that the rescue helicopter's rotor wash blew the wreckage off its perch and it slid down the face of the slope to its final resting point. A debris path of airplane wreckage was found along the slope leading to the main wreckage.
On September 28, the wreckage was recovered from the mountain side and transported to a secure facility for further examination.
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: CESSNA Registration: N1738R
Model/Series: U206 G Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator: Regal Air Operating Certificate(s)
Held: On-demand Air Taxi (135)
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KPTI Observation Time: AKD
Distance from Accident Site: Temperature/Dew Point: 8°C / 6°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 6 knots / , 20°
Lowest Ceiling: Overcast / 6000 ft agl Visibility: 10 Miles
Altimeter Setting: 29.61 inches Hg Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Anchorage, AK (LHD) Destination: , AK
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: N/A Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Fatal Latitude, Longitude: 62.072778, -153.184722
Administrative Information
Investigator In Charge (IIC): Joshua D Lindberg
Additional Participating Persons: Paula Huckleberry; Federal Aviation Administration; Anchorage, AK
Bruce Schulte; Regal Air; Anchorage, AK
Note: The NTSB traveled to the scene of this accident.