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20150920016479A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Stinson 108-3 · Palmer, AK · September 20, 2015

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
September 20, 2015 · 11:00 local
Place
Palmer, AK
Airport
Palmer Municipal
Phase of flight
Landing: Approach
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N6066M
NTSB investigation
NTSBGAA15LA265
Reported as
Stinson 108-3
Reported engine
Franklin 6A4165 series
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
2
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
415 total300 in this make and model10 in the last 90 days
N6066MRegistered now · Stinson 108-3S/N 108-4066Airframe modelStinson 108-3Engine modelFranklin 6A4165 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

N6066M, a Stinson S108 aircraft, was attempting to land at the "picnic table airstrip," which is located near the base of the knik glacier (approximately 61'24"n, 148'36"w).

The aircraft overflew the landing strip and entered a left downwind leg, with the intent of landing towards the east. The PIC configured the aircraft with full flaps on the downwind leg. During the transition from left base, to the final approach segment, both the PIC and passenger noticed the airspeed was slow, approximately 5 mph above stall speed. The PIC further stated that the aircraft was much too low as well. The PIC was attempting to add power in order to correct the low altitutude of the aircraft; however, instead of adding power, the PIC pushed the carburator heat knob forward instead of the throttle. Shortly after, the aircraft stalled. The passenger estimated that the aircraft was approximately 80 to 100 feet above the ground level when it stalled. The aicraft struck the ground near the knik river valley, short of the landing strip threshold.

The PIC received serious injuries, fracturing his skull. The passenger also received serious injury, fracruring a vertibrae.

As the FAA filed it

N6066M, A STINSON S108 AIRCRAFT, WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND AT THE "PICNIC TABLE AIRSTRIP," WHICH IS LOCATED NEAR THE BASE OF THE KNIK GLACIER (APPROXIMATELY 61'24"N, 148'36"W).

THE AIRCRAFT OVERFLEW THE LANDING STRIP AND ENTERED A LEFT DOWNWIND LEG, WITH THE INTENT OF LANDING TOWARDS THE EAST. THE PIC CONFIGURED THE AIRCRAFT WITH FULL FLAPS ON THE DOWNWIND LEG. DURING THE TRANSITION FROM LEFT BASE, TO THE FINAL APPROACH SEGMENT, BOTH THE PIC AND PASSENGER NOTICED THE AIRSPEED WAS SLOW, APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH ABOVE STALL SPEED. THE PIC FURTHER STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS MUCH TOO LOW AS WELL. THE PIC WAS ATTEMPTING TO ADD POWER IN ORDER TO CORRECT THE LOW ALTITUTUDE OF THE AIRCRAFT; HOWEVER, INSTEAD OF ADDING POWER, THE PIC PUSHED THE CARBURATOR HEAT KNOB FORWARD INSTEAD OF THE THROTTLE. SHORTLY AFTER, THE AIRCRAFT STALLED. THE PASSENGER ESTIMATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROXIMATELY 80 TO 100 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND LEVEL WHEN IT STALLED. THE AICRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND NEAR THE KNIK RIVER VALLEY, SHORT OF THE LANDING STRIP THRESHOLD.

THE PIC RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES, FRACTURING HIS SKULL. THE PASSENGER ALSO RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURY, FRACRURING A VERTIBRAE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB GAA15LA265Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportPalmer, AKThe pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle-of-attack during final approach to landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and impact with terrain.Sep 20, 2015 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N6066M · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19800322033259ILevel Off Touchdown · Tok, AKAfter touchdown on soft snow-covered runway, main tires fell through. Aircraft swerved left and nosed over.Mar 22, 1980 · Minor damage