What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) August 6, 2001 a/c was observed Landing at the Quartz Creek airstrip near Cooper Landing, AK. A/c bounced a number of times, came down through trees beyond end of runway, impacted pavement of driveway to a boat Landing, nose first. According to information provided by an alaskan state trooper, the aircraft began to pitch up and pilot was unable to keep aircraft from climbing. Pilot decided to make emergency Landing at Quartz Creek and may have shut down the engine. A witness to the accident told the NTSB investigator that he did not hear any sounds from the engine. On site inspection found the pitch trim tab to be in the full nose up position. Aircraft was equipped with a Honeywell KAP-140 digital two axis autopilot system with electric and auto trim. The autopilot computer/controller, pitch, roll and pitch trim servos/capstans and pilots control wheel were removed and retained by the NTSB investigator. A SDR for a Cessna 172R reports this autopilot having turned itself on and not being able to disengage without removing avionics power. This aircraft did not have a "pull" type circuit breaker that would have removed power from the autopilot and electric trim system. Circuit breaker was engaged at time of site investigation. Report will be amended when more information is available.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AUGUST 6, 2001 A/C WAS OBSERVED LANDING AT THE QUARTZ CREEK AIRSTRIP NEAR COOPER LANDING, AK. A/C BOUNCED A NUMBER OF TIMES, CAME DOWN THROUGH TREES BEYOND END OF RUNWAY, IMPACTED PAVEMENT OF DRIVEWAY TO A BOAT LANDING, NOSE FIRST. ACCORDING TO INFORMATION PROVIDED BY AN ALASKAN STATE TROOPER, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO PITCH UP AND PILOT WAS UNABLE TO KEEP AIRCRAFT FROM CLIMBING. PILOT DECIDED TO MAKE EMERGENCY LANDING AT QUARTZ CREEK AND MAY HAVE SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE. A WITNESS TO THE ACCIDENT TOLD THE NTSB INVESTIGATOR THAT HE DID NOT HEAR ANY SOUNDS FROM THE ENGINE. ON SITE INSPECTION FOUND THE PITCH TRIM TAB TO BE IN THE FULL NOSE UP POSITION. AIRCRAFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH A HONEYWELL KAP-140 DIGITAL TWO AXIS AUTOPILOT SYSTEM WITH ELECTRIC AND AUTO TRIM. THE AUTOPILOT COMPUTER/CONTROLLER, PITCH, ROLL AND PITCH TRIM SERVOS/CAPSTANS AND PILOTS CONTROL WHEEL WERE REMOVED AND RETAINED BY THE NTSB INVESTIGATOR. A SDR FOR A CESSNA 172R REPORTS THIS AUTOPILOT HAVING TURNED ITSELF ON AND NOT BEING ABLE TO DISENGAGE WITHOUT REMOVING AVIONICS POWER. THIS AIRCRAFT DID NOT HAVE A "PULL" TYPE CIRCUIT BREAKER THAT WOULD HAVE REMOVED POWER FROM THE AUTOPILOT AND ELECTRIC TRIM SYSTEM. CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS ENGAGED AT TIME OF SITE INVESTIGATION. REPORT WILL BE AMENDED WHEN MORE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.