- Date
- April 22, 2001, 12:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Cantwell, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8401JCessna 150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 2, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA-AL-ANC FSDO 03
- FAA report
- 20010422040059A
- Case key
- 52118
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing and subsequent nose over during the landing flare. Factors in the accident were soft, snow-covered terrain on the runway.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The commercial certificated pilot was on a cross-country personal flight, and decided to land at the accident airport for a short break. He said he over-flew the runway and it appeared to him as snow-covered, but smooth. The pilot then landed on runway 21. As the airplane touched down, the landing gear immediately sank into about 12 inches of snow, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane received damage to the vertical stabilizer, wings, and the aft cabin bulkhead. The Alaska Supplement/Airport Facility Directory states, in part: "Unattended. Runway condition not monitored, recommend visual inspection prior to landing... No winter maintenance."
Factual narrative
On April 22, 2001, about 1200 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna 150 airplane, N8401J, sustained substantial damage during landing at the Summit Airport, located about six miles south-southwest of Cantwell, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by the pilot. The commercial certificated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at Merrill Field, Anchorage, Alaska, about 0945.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on April 22, the pilot reported that he was en route to Fairbanks, Alaska, and decided to land at the Summit Airport for a short break. He said he over-flew the runway, and it appeared to him as snow-covered, but smooth. The pilot then landed on runway 21. As the airplane touched down, the landing gear immediately sank into about 12 inches of snow, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane received damage to the vertical stabilizer, wings, and the aft cabin bulkhead.
The Summit Airport, elevation 2,409 feet msl, has a single gravel runway on a 210/030 degree orientation. Runway 21 is 3,840 feet long, and 80 feet wide. The Alaska Supplement/Airport Facility Directory states, in part: "Unattended. Runway condition not monitored, recommend visual inspection prior to landing... No winter maintenance."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8401J
- Reported as
- Cessna 150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15066301
- Airframe hours
- 1,800
- Engine
- Continental O-200A, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Douglas V. Lundeen
- Registered owner
- Alaska Yukon Missions
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 30, 2001 · 30 hours before
- Departed
- PAMR · Anchorage, AK
- Destination
- PAFA · Fairbanks, AK
- Airport
- UMM · Summit, runway 21, 3,840 × 80 ft, gravel
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 42
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- January 8, 2001
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 467 total · 50 in this make and model · 360 as pilot in command · 43 in the last 90 days · 23 in the last 30 days · 13 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.