# NTSB ANC02LA054: Meeuwsen Gordon Wagabond traveler, N36GM, Talkeetna, AK, June 19, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 18, 2002, 17:00 local (Jun 19, 2002, 01:00 UTC) - Place: Talkeetna, AK - Coordinates: 62.320556, -150.093612 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=62.3206&lon=-150.0936&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 16, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration FSDO-03 - NTSB case key (mKey): 55005 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC02LA054 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55005/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=55005 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC02LA054 ## Probable cause The pilots excessive taxi speed. Factors associated with the accident are the rough and uneven terrain of the sandbar, and gusting winds. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, taxi - from landing - terrain condition - sand bar - terrain condition - rough/uneven (contributing factor) - taxispeed - excessive, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor) - Nose over, taxi - from landing ## Analysis The pilot of the airplane landed on a sandbar. While taxiing to park the airplane the main landing gear rolled into a deep wash, and the airplane nosed over. In his written statement to the NTSB, the pilot noted that the accident was caused by his excessive taxi speed, and a gust of wind that lifted the tail of the airplane. ## Factual narrative On June 18, 2002, about 1700 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire equipped Wagabond Traveler, N36GM, sustained substantial damage during taxi to parking on a sandbar in the Chulitna River, about 4 miles northwest of the Talkeetna Airport, Talkeetna, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The private pilot and his one passenger were not injured. The flight was intended to be a local flight, and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed the Talkeetna airport about 1500. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on June 20, the pilot said he landed on a large sandbar in the Chulitna river. He said he was taxiing to parking on the sandbar, when the main landing gear dropped into a deep, muddy wash, at the same time a gust of wind picked up the tail of the airplane, causing it to nose over. During the nose-over, the vertical stabilizer was crushed and the wing lift-struts were bent. The composite propeller was shattered. The pilot said he and his passenger were able turn the airplane over onto its wheels. He said he used the emergency locator transmitter (ELT) to summon help. In a written statement the pilot said he was carrying too much forward speed/ momentum while taxiing on the sandbar. He said a gusting tailwind during the taxi also contributed to the airplane nosing over. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N36GM](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N36GM-2017-04-13), registration cancelled 2017-04-13, S/N GM-2, built 1980 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Meeuwsen Gordon Wagabond traveler - Registry model: [Meeuwsen Gordon WAGABOND TRAVELER](https://openairdocs.org/model/meeuwsen-gordon-wagabond-traveler) (registry code 05655Z9) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 6M-2 - Airframe hours: 830 - Engines: Lycoming O-235-C 115 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Gasper D Caterinichio - Registered owner: Gasper D. Caterinichio - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, May 25, 2002, 30 hours before - Departed: PATK, Talkeetna, AK ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 25; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review May 29, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 526 total, 157 in this make and model, 400 as pilot in command, 200 in the last 90 days, 100 in the last 30 days, 15 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 15 knots, gusting 20 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 29.76 inHg ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20020619012759A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020619012759A), Jun 19, 2002: Amtr WAGABONDTVEL, Talkeetna, AK, No damage. (-23) Airman was taxiing on a gravel bar downwind to a parking spot. The aircraft nosed over when a gust of wind struck the aircraft from behind. ## Other investigations on N36GM (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ANC98LA094](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA094), Jul 11, 1998: Meeuwsen Wagabond (N36GM), Wasilla, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: Loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 7, 2002, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=55005. 690 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 690 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40447048&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.