What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On October 13, 2019, about 1620 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna 172 airplane, N7267A,
Sustained substantial damage following a collision with terrain during an emergency off-airport
Landing, about 15 nautical miles southeast of the Palmer municipal airport (paaq) Palmer,
Alaska. The solo private pilot was not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by
The pilot under the provisions of title 14 code of federal regulations part 91 as a visual flight
Rules personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident,
And no flight plan was filed.
The pilot reported that, after flying around the knik glacier area, while returning to birchwood
Airport (pabv) birchwood, Alaska, the engine began to run rough and the RPM "rolled back."
He applied carburetor heat, confirmed a rich mixture, checked the fuel tank levels, and placed
The fuel selector to the left tank. He added that, he verified the oil pressure, the magneto switch
Was selected to both, and that the primer was in and locked, but he was unable to restore full
Engine power. The pilot subsequently selected an all-terrain vehicle trail as a forced landing
Site. Just prior to touchdown, at about 15 feet above the ground, the left wing struck a small
Tree, the airplane yawed to the left and touched down in a nose low, off-center angle.
Subsequently, the right main landing gear and nose gear separated, and the right wing struck
The ground. The pilot was able to egress the airplane without further incident.
The airplane was equipped with a Continental O-300-B model engine. The airplane has been
Recovered and a detailed wreckage examination is pending.
As the FAA filed it
ON OCTOBER 13, 2019, ABOUT 1620 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 172 AIRPLANE, N7267A,
SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE FOLLOWING A COLLISION WITH TERRAIN DURING AN EMERGENCY OFF-AIRPORT
LANDING, ABOUT 15 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE PALMER MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (PAAQ) PALMER,
ALASKA. THE SOLO PRIVATE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY
THE PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 AS A VISUAL FLIGHT
RULES PERSONAL FLIGHT. DAY VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT,
AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT, AFTER FLYING AROUND THE KNIK GLACIER AREA, WHILE RETURNING TO BIRCHWOOD
AIRPORT (PABV) BIRCHWOOD, ALASKA, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND THE RPM "ROLLED BACK."
HE APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT, CONFIRMED A RICH MIXTURE, CHECKED THE FUEL TANK LEVELS, AND PLACED
THE FUEL SELECTOR TO THE LEFT TANK. HE ADDED THAT, HE VERIFIED THE OIL PRESSURE, THE MAGNETO SWITCH
WAS SELECTED TO BOTH, AND THAT THE PRIMER WAS IN AND LOCKED, BUT HE WAS UNABLE TO RESTORE FULL
ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT SUBSEQUENTLY SELECTED AN ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLE TRAIL AS A FORCED LANDING
SITE. JUST PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN, AT ABOUT 15 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE LEFT WING STRUCK A SMALL
TREE, THE AIRPLANE YAWED TO THE LEFT AND TOUCHED DOWN IN A NOSE LOW, OFF-CENTER ANGLE.
SUBSEQUENTLY, THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR AND NOSE GEAR SEPARATED, AND THE RIGHT WING STRUCK
THE GROUND. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO EGRESS THE AIRPLANE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.
THE AIRPLANE WAS EQUIPPED WITH A CONTINENTAL O-300-B MODEL ENGINE. THE AIRPLANE HAS BEEN
RECOVERED AND A DETAILED WRECKAGE EXAMINATION IS PENDING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.