# Accident 19990312026129A: Cessna 170B, Palmer, AK, March 12, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 12, 1999, 20:00 local time
- Place: Palmer, AK
- Airport: Wolverine Lake
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 61.6210° N, 148.9794° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.6210&lon=-148.9794&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4387B, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4387B) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 170B (registry code 2072306, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-170b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental 0-300 series (registry code 17022, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 170B
- Reported engine: CONT O300A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 287 total, 265 in this make and model, 5 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC99LA032](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA032) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990312026129A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.4) THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT DEPARTED FROM THE FROZEN SURFACE OF A SMALL LAKE AFTER PREVIOUSLY CONDUCTING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS EARLIER IN THE DAY. THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED TO ABOUT 100 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY QUIT.  THE PILOT MADE A TURN BACK TOWARD THE LAKE AND LANDED ALONG THE EDGE OF THE LAKE.  THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN IN AN AREA OF SNOW, AND THE MAIN LANDING GEAR WAS SHEARED OFF.  THE RIGHT WING HIT A SNOW BANK AND WAS DAMAGED.  THE PILOT REPORTED HE RETURNED TO THE AIRPLANE THE DAY AFTER THE ACCIDENT TO BEGIN DISASSEMBLY FOR TRANSPORTATION.  THE PILOT SAID HE DISCOVERED THE AIRPLANE FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY.  HE THEN RECALLED HIS LAST FLIGHT BEFORE THE ACCIDENT WAS ABOUT 2 MONTHS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, AND HE DID NOT REFUEL THE AIRPLANE.                                                 (.19)ON MARCH 12, 1998, ABOUT 2000 ALASKA STANDARD TIME, A WHEEL EQUIPPED CESSNA 170B AIRPLANE, N4387B, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A FORCED LANDING AFTER TAKEOFF FROM A FROZEN LAKE, ABOUT 5 MILES NORTH-MORTHEASR OF PALMER, ALASKA.  THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED AS A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) LOCAL AREA PERSONAL FLIGHT WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED.  THE AIRPLANE WA S REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT. THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED.  DURING A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD (NTSB) INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE (IIC), ON MARCH 13, 1999, AT 0900, THE PILOT REPORTED HE LANDED ON WOLVERINE LAKE EARLIER IN THE DAY, FOLLOWING ABOUT 30 MINUTES OF TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS AT THE PALMER MUNICIPAL AIRPORT.  THE PILOT SAID HE TOOK OFF AND CLIMBED THE AIRPLANE TO ABOUT 100 FEET WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY QUIT.  HE MADE A TURN TOWARD THE LAKE AND LANDED ALONG THE EDGE OF THE LAKE.  THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN IN AN AREA OF SNOW, AND THE MAIN LANDING GEAR WAS SHEARED OFF.  THE RIGHT WING HIT A SNOW BANK AND WAS DAMAGED.                                                              (-23)TWO MONTHS EARLIER AIRMAN BELIEVED HE HAD TOPPED OFF HIS FUEL TANKS.  PRIOR TO FLIGHT, THE AIRMAN DID CHECK HIS FUEL CAPS FOR SECURITY, BUT DID NOT VISUALLY CHECK THE FUEL TANKS FOR CONTENT.  AFTER APPROXIMATELY 1 HOUR OF OPERATION, FUEL EXHAUSTION OCCURRED.  THE AIRMAN ELECTED TO CONDUCT AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON A SNOW COVERED LAKE.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAM AGED AND NO INJURIES OCCURRED TO THE SOLE OCCUPANT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ANC99LA032](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA032), Mar 13, 1999: Cessna 170B (N4387B), Palmer, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, and his failure to refuel the airplane that resulted in fuel exhaustion.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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