# Accident 19990920029139A: Univar 108, Sparrevohn, AK, September 20, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: September 20, 1999, 13:00 local time - Place: Sparrevohn, AK - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Takeoff Ground Roll - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 61.8095° N, 161.4410° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.8095&lon=-161.4410&mi=10 - Aircraft: N97713, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N97713-2000-05-05) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Stinson 108 (registry code 9230402, https://openairdocs.org/model/stinson-108) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: UNIVAR 108 - Reported engine: FRNKLN 6A4165B3 - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 207 total, 150 in this make and model, 17 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC99LA156](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA156) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990920029139A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON SEPTEMBER 20, 1999, ABOUT 1300 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A TUNDRA TIRE EQUIPPED STINSON 108 AIRPLANE, N97713, WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT AND A POSTIMPACT FIRE, WHEN THE AIRPLANE CRASHED ON TAKEOFF FROM A REMOTE AREA, ABOUT 10 MILES SOUTH OF THE SPARREVOHN LONG RANGE RADAR STATION (LRRS), SPARREVOHN, ALASKA, ABOUT LATITUDE 60 DEGREES, 55 MINUTES NORTH, AND LONGITUDE 155 DEGREES, 35 MINUTES WEST. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED AS A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) CROSS-COUNTRY PERSONAL FLIGHT TO ILIAMNA, ALASKA, WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED BY THE PILOT. THE PRIVATE CERTIFICATED 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 OCTOBER 13, 1999, AT 0905, THE PILOT REPORTED HE AND TWO FRIENDS LANDED ON A REMOTE RIDGE TOP TO GO HUNTING. AT THE COMPLETION OF THE TRIP, HE LOADED THE AIRPLANE WITH MOOSE AND CARIBOU MEAT, AND PLANNED TO FLY TO ILIAMNA. THE PILOT SAID HE DEPARTED THE RIDGE TOP TOWARD THE EAST. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, AN APPROXIMATE 20 KNOT GUST OF WIND STRUCK THE AIRPLANE FROM THE RIGHT. THE AIRPLANE WAS PUSHED TO THE LEFT, AND THE LEFT WING STRUCK SOME BUSHES. THE AIRPLANE PIVOTED TO THE LEFT AND DESCENDED DOWNHILL. AFTER THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST, IT CAUGHT FIRE, AND WAS DESTROYED. THE PILOT AND HIS TWO FRIENDS HIKED OUT OF THE AREA, AND ARRIVED AT THE SPARREVOHN LRRS TWO DAYS LATER. (.4) ON SEPTEMBER 20, 1999, ABOUT 1300 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A TUNDRA TIRE EQUIPPED STINSON 108 AIRPLANE, N97713, WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT AND A POSTIMPACT FIRE, WHEN THE AIRPLANE CRASHED ON TAKEOFF FROM A REMOTE AREA, ABOUT 10 MILES SOUTH OF THE SPARREVOHN LONG RANGE RADAR STATION (LRRS), SPARREVOHN, ALASKA, ABOUT LATITUDE 60 DEGREES, 55 MINUTES NORTH, AND LONGITUDE 155 DEGREES, 35 MINUTES WEST. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED AS A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) CROSS-COUNTRY PERSONAL FLIGHT TO ILIAMNA, ALASKA, WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED BY THE PILOT. THE PRIVATE CERTIFICATED 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 OCTOBER 13, 199 9, AT 0905, THE PILOT REPORTED HE AND TWO FRIENDS LANDED ON A REMOTE RIDGE TOP TO GO HUNTING. AT THE COMPLETION OF THE TRIP, HE LOADED THE AIRPLANE WITH MOOSE AND CARIBOU MEAT, AND PLANNED TO FLY TO ILIAMNA. THE PILOT SAID HE DEPARTED THE RIDGE TOP TOWARD THE EAST. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, AN APPROXIMATE 20 KNOT GUST OF WIND STRUCK THE AIRPLANE FROM THE RIGHT. THE AIRPLANE WAS PUSHED TO THE LEFT, AND THE LEFT WING STRUCK SOME BUSHES. THE AIRPLANE PIVOTED TO THE LEFT AND DESCENDED DOWNHILL. AFTER THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST, IT CAUGHT FIRE, AND WAS DESTROYED. THE PILOT AND HIS TWO FRIENDS HIKED OUT OF THE AREA, AND ARRIVED AT THE SPARREVOHN LRRS TWO DAYS LATER. (-23) INSPECTOR DISCOVERED ACCIDENT. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS TAKING OFF FROM A MOUNTAIN RIDGE WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS HIT BY A SEVERE WIND GUST AND WAS BLOWN SIDEWAYS TO THE LEFT, WHERE THE LEFT WINGTIP HIT A BUSH AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS PULLED AROUND AND THE PILOT LOST CONTROL. THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED DOWN A 60 DEGREE SLOPE TEARING OFF THE ENGINE AND CATCHING FIRE. THE PILOT MANAGED TO ESCAPE WITHOUT INJURIES, BUT THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. ## 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 ANC99LA156](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA156), Sep 20, 1999: Stinson 108 (N97713), Sparrevohn, AK, destroyed. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions. Factors in the accident were a gusting crosswind, and high vegetation. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.