Report on air accident in the sound Raftsundet on 11 April 1975 with Piper Cherokee, LN-DBH
Aviation report 1976/05
On 11 April 1975 LN-DBH was to fly from Narvik to Stokmarknes airport, Skagen via Lødingen and Øksfjord. The aircraft was to return to Narvik the same day. Around 0900 hrs the aircraft was located in the sound Raftsundet in heavy snow showers with no visibilitiy. About 0905 hrs the aircraft impacted the sea mark on Gunnarsbåten and crashed into the sea.
It was forecasted nice weather with some scattered snow showers in Troms and Finmark. However, witness observations report heavy snow showers with zero visibilitbity in the sound Raftsundet in the time frame around the accident.
The investigation has found that the pilot had flown very little in the period before the accident. Just 4:35 hrs in the last six months. The accident investigation board presumes that the pilot would have managed the flight without issues in good weather conditions. In the prevailing weather conditions in Raftsundet, even a more experienced pilot with local knowledge would have had severe problems and a crash is almost inevitable.
Published 18.05.1976
Facts
| Location | Raftsund, Norway |
| Occurrence date | 11.04.1975 |
| Aircraft | Piper PA-28 Cherokee/Arrow/Archer m.fl. |
| Operator | Private |
| Registration | LN-DBH |
| Meteorological conditions | IMC |
| County | Nordland |
| Type of occurrence | Accident |
| Type of operation | Private |
| Category of operation | Light, aeroplane (< 5 700kg) |
| Aircraft category | Landplane, Single-engine |
| FIR/AOR | ENBD (Bodø ATCC) |