By COLLEEN MONDOR | AINONLINE
On Sept. 7, two-and-a-half years after the crash of a Yute Commuter Service single-engine Piper PA-32 near Tuntutuliak, Alaska, the National Transportation Safety Board released its probable cause finding on the five-fatality accident, citing a pilot’s decision to fly into potentially whiteout conditions.
But a lengthy investigation also pointed to systemic safety issues and lax procedures that enabled the decision-making.
The PA-32 departed under a special VFR on the morning of Feb. 6, 2020, for the village of Kipnuk, less than 100 miles from the company base in Bethel. It crashed about 30 minutes later, at approximately 11:10 a.m. local time.
Investigators determined the decision of the pilot, Tony Matthews, to continue VFR into “reduced visibility, including likely flat light and/or whiteout conditions,” was the probable cause. Matthews had 645 hours of total time; the Kipnuk flight was only his fourth revenue trip for the company.
As a contributory factor, the NTSB also found Yute’s operational control procedures were inadequate and “permitted” the pilot to depart below company minimums.
Aviation writer Colleen Mondor untangles the story at Aionline.com.
