What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On nov. 14, 2009, airman landed on the north side of Mt. Susitna. The aircraft was equipped with tundra tires. The pilot performed a couple of low passes over the intended landing area then performed a landing without incident. The pilot then attempted a takeoff. The pilot did not get out and walk the intended takeoff area. During the takeoff roll, the aircraft tires sank into approx. 15 inches of soft snow. This rapid deceleration caused the aircraft to flip over onto its back. The pilot and passenger had emergency equipment sufficient to meet the Alaska law on board and utilized the equipment to survive until rescue came the following day. The pilot stated that he was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash and felt that had prevented him from being injured. According to pilot, the weather conditions at the location and time of the accident were clear, light wind, and sunny. The pilot stated that flat light was not a factor.
As the FAA filed it
ON NOV. 14, 2009, AIRMAN LANDED ON THE NORTH SIDE OF MT. SUSITNA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH TUNDRA TIRES. THE PILOT PERFORMED A COUPLE OF LOW PASSES OVER THE INTENDED LANDING AREA THEN PERFORMED A LANDING WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE PILOT THEN ATTEMPTED A TAKEOFF. THE PILOT DID NOT GET OUT AND WALK THE INTENDED TAKEOFF AREA. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE AIRCRAFT TIRES SANK INTO APPROX. 15 INCHES OF SOFT SNOW. THIS RAPID DECELERATION CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO FLIP OVER ONTO ITS BACK.THE PILOT AND PASSENGER HAD EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT SUFFICIENT TO MEET THE ALASKA LAW ON BOARD AND UTILIZED THE EQUIPMENT TO SURVIVE UNTIL RESCUE CAME THE FOLLOWING DAY. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS WEARING A HELMET AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH AND FELT THAT HAD PREVENTED HIM FROM BEING INJURED.ACCORDING TO PILOT, THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE LOCATION AND TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE CLEAR, LIGHT WIND, AND SUNNY. THE PILOT STATED THAT FLAT LIGHT WAS NOT A FACTOR.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N3797Z · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.