NTSB -- NTSB CITES PILOT'S TEMPORARY UNRESPONSIVENESS IN PROBABLE CAUSE OF AUGUST 2010 ALEKNAGIK, ALASKA ACCIDENT

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NTSB PRESS RELEASE

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National Transportation Safety Board

Washington, DC 20594

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 24, 2011

SB-11-16

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NTSB CITES PILOT’S TEMPORARY UNRESPONSIVENESS IN PROBABLE

CAUSE OF AUGUST 2010 ALEKNAGIK, ALASKA ACCIDENT

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WASHINGTON – The National Transportation Safety Board

determined that the probable cause of the August 9, 2010,

airplane crash into mountainous terrain near Aleknagik,

Alaska, was the pilot’s temporary unresponsiveness for

reasons that could not be established from the available

information. Contributing to the investigation’s inability

to determine more precisely what occurred in the final

minutes of the flight was the lack of a cockpit recorder

system with the ability to capture audio, images, and

parametric data.

“One of the greatest lessons from this tragedy is the

powerful reinforcement of the need for onboard crash

resistant recorder systems,” said NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P.

Hersman. “With onboard recorders, we can learn so much more

from crashes like this one to prevent future tragedies and

loss of life.”

On August 9, 2010, at about 2:27 p.m., a single-engine de

Havilland turbine Otter floatplane carrying a pilot and

eight passengers departed a private lodge on the shore of

Lake Nerka en route to a remote fishing camp approximately

52 miles southeast on the Nushagak River. The pilot was

highly experienced and familiar with the route. However,

during the flight, the airplane turned toward the east-

northeast, away from the intended destination and crashed

into mountainous terrain at about 2:42 p.m.

The pilot’s medical history included an intracerebral

hemorrhage on March 3, 2006. His most recent first-class

medical certificate was issued on December 1, 2009.

“This tragedy also highlights inadequate FAA guidance

related to the medical certification of pilots who have had

a cerebrovascular event,” Chairman Hersman added.

As for the accident airplane, it was equipped with a variety

of avionics designed to assist the pilot with navigation,

situational awareness, and terrain avoidance. However, the

airplane was not equipped with a cockpit voice recorder,

flight data recorder, or other crash resistant flight

recorder. Minutes prior to the crash, the last position

report showed the plane on course. “What we do not know, and

can never know,” Chairman Hersman said, “is what happened in

the last three minutes of that fatal flight.”

A synopsis of the NTSB report, including the probable cause,

conclusions, and safety recommendations is available at:

http://ntsb.gov/Events/2011/Aleknagik_AK/synopsis.htm.

The NTSB's full report will be available on the website in

several weeks.

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Media contact: Terry N. Williams (williat@xxxxxxxx)

(202) 314-6100

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