ANC95LA010

Factual narrative

On November 12, 1994, at approximately 1550 Alaska standard time, a wheel equipped Cessna Model 172 airplane, N6322D, operated by Ryan Air Service, Inc. collided with terrain during the landing rollout on runway 29 at the Bethel Airport, Bethel, Alaska. The commercial certificated pilot and his two revenue passengers, the sole occupants, were not injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The 14 CFR Part 135 on-demand flight last departed Akiak, Alaska at 1529 and the intended destination was Bethel. The pilot reported that special VFR conditions prevailed in the control zone and that the flight was on a company VFR flight plan. The pilot reported that during the landing flare, he noticed the airplane begin to drift off the final approach course. After touchdown, the airplane bounced and then settled onto the runway. The airplane skidded off the edge of the ice covered, snow packed runway adjacent to taxiway F, and the horizontal stabilizer struck a snow berm. The runway braking action was reported by the pilot as poor to nil. The substantial damage/accident assessment was reported to the NTSB on November 18, 1994, by an FAA airworthiness inspector. At 1550 hours weather observation at Bethel was reporting in part: Sky condition, partially obscured, measured ceiling, 900 feet overcast; visibility, 1 mile in blowing snow and fog; temperature, 19 degrees F; dew point, 17 degrees F; wind, 310 degrees at 18 knots, gusts to 25 knots; altimeter, 29.64 inHg; remarks, blowing snow obscuring 2/10ths of the sky. The pilot reported that at touchdown, the winds were 250 degrees at 25 knots. THE PILOT WAS LANDING IN A CROSSWIND AT THE CONCLUSION OF AN ON-DEMAND CHARTER FLIGHT WITH 2 PASSENGERS. THE AIRPORT TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER WAS REPORTING A 20 DEGREE CROSSWIND AND THE RUNWAY WAS COVERED WITH ICE AND SNOW. DURING THE LANDING FLARE, THE PILOT NOTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS DRIFTING OFF OF THE APPROACH COURSE. THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED AND THEN SETTLED ONTO THE RUNWAY AND RAN OFF THE EDGE OF THE RUNWAY NEAR THE END. THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER WAS DAMAGED WHEN IT STRUCK A SNOW BERM. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE BRAKING ACTION WAS POOR TO NIL AND AT TOUCHDOWN, THE CROSSWIND WAS ABOUT 40 DEGREES AT 25 KNOTS. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12