ANC00LA040

The solo student pilot reported that he had rented the airplane in order to complete his first solo cross-country flight. He said that while en route, he mistakenly thought the accident airstrip was Skwentna, his first intended destination. He said that while on approach to the south, he encountered southeasterly winds estimated at 15 knots, with gusts to 20 knots. He said as the airplane continued on the approach and went below the adjacent tree line, the rate of descent increased. He then realized that he was not at his intended airstrip, so he attempted a go-around, but the airplane continued to descend. As the airplane touched down on the runway, the main wheels contacted deep snow, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine firewall assembly. The pilot noted that the existing flat lighting conditions made judging the airplane's height over the terrain difficult.

On April 2, 2000, about 1330 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 150M airplane, N704GK, sustained substantial damage while landing at a private airstrip located about 8 miles south of Skwentna, Alaska, at 61 degrees 57 minutes north latitude, 151 degrees 11 minutes west longitude. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country instructional flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The solo student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a VFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Anchorage International Airport, Anchorage, about 1300.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on April 3, the pilot reported that he had rented the airplane in order to complete his first solo cross-country flight between Anchorage, Skwentna, Talkeetna, and return to the Anchorage International Airport. He said that while en route, he mistakenly thought the accident airstrip was Skwentna, his first intended destination. He related that while on approach to the south, he encountered southeasterly winds estimated at 15 knots, with gusts to 20 knots. He said that while on final approach, as the airplane went below the adjacent tree line, the rate of descent increased. He then realized that he was not at his intended airstrip, so he attempted a go-around, but the airplane continued to descend. He said that as the airplane touched down, the main wheels contacted deep snow on the runway, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine firewall assembly.

The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. He also indicated that the flat lighting conditions made it difficult to discern his height above the terrain.