THE STUDENT PLT WAS ON A NIGHT FLT FROM WHITEHORSE TO PRINCE RUPERT, CANADA VIA SKAGWAY & JUNEAU, AK. ACCORDING TO HIM, WHEN PASSING THE FIVE FINGERS NDB TO ENTER THE STRAIT, HE ENCOUNTERED SOUTHEAST WINDS OF APRX 25 KTS. ON ATTEMPTING TO RETURN TO JUNEAU, HE BECAME UNSURE OF HIS POSITION DUE TO DETERIORATING WX. HE SPENT SEVERAL HRS TRYING TO DETERMINE HIS POSITION & FINALLY SAW THE LIGHTS OF A SHIP. ALSO, HE WAS AT LOW ALTITUDE & REPORTEDLY TRIED FOR 45 MIN TO COMMUNICATE HIS PROBLEM BY RADIO. EVENTUALLY, COMMUNICATION WAS RELAYED BY ANOTHER ACFT THAT WAS OVERFLYING THE AREA. AS FUEL WAS EXHAUSTED, THE ACFT WAS DITCHED NEXT TO THE SHIP THAT HE HAD LOCATED. HE WAS RESCUED BY PERSONNEL ON THE SHIP, BUT THE ACFT SANK. THE STUDENT PLT HAD ONLY 7 HRS OF NIGHT FLYING EXPERIENCE & NO REPORTED INSTRUMENT TIME. THE WX AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 2000 FT OVERCAST, 1/2 MI VISIBILITY WITH RAIN & FOG.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

Contributing Factors

ATTEMPTED..PILOT IN COMMAND

Contributing Factors

TERRAIN CONDITION..WATER,ROUGH

Contributing Factors

LACK OF EXPERIENCE..PILOT IN COMMAND

Contributing Factors

LIGHT CONDITION..DARK NIGHT

Contributing Factors

WEATHER CONDITION..HIGH WIND

Contributing Factors

WEATHER CONDITION..CLOUDS

Contributing Factors

WEATHER CONDITION..FOG

Contributing Factors

WEATHER CONDITION..RAIN

Index for Jun1983 | Index of months