# NTSB ANC05LA073: Interstate S-1A, N37209, Palmer, AK, May 7, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 7, 2005, 12:30 local (20:30 UTC) - Place: Palmer, AK - Coordinates: 61.433887, -148.299163 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.4339&lon=-148.2992&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 20, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA-AL-ANC FSDO 03 - NTSB case key (mKey): 61447 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC05LA073 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/61447/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC05LA073 ## Probable cause The pilot's misjudged distance and speed, which resulted in an overrun during the landing roll, and subsequent nose over. Factors contributing to the accident were a tailwind and a short landing area. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Overrun, landing - roll - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor) - terrain condition - short runway/landing area (contributing factor) - distance/speed - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - soft - Nose over, landing - roll ## Analysis The private certificated pilot was landing on a remote airstrip that was about 500 feet long and 60 feet wide. He said he flew several passes over the airstrip, and touched down toward the southeast. The airplane bounced slightly and floated, and when it touched down again, he applied full engine power to abort the landing. He said the airplane did not seem to want to fly, and he pulled the engine power to idle and applied the brakes. The airplane overran the end of the strip, into an area of brush, encountered soft terrain, and nosed over. The airplane received structural damage to the right wing lift strut and windshield. After the accident, the pilot reported that the wind appeared calm, but he thought that he may have encountered a slight tailwind during the landing. ## Factual narrative On May 7, 2005, about 1230 Alaska daylight time, a wheel-equipped Interstate S-1A airplane, N37209, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over after overrunning a remote airstrip, about 25 miles east of Palmer, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local area personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by the pilot. The private certificated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated from a private airstrip, at Wasilla, Alaska, about 1100. No flight plan was filed, nor was one required. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on May 8, the pilot reported that he was landing on an airstrip in an area known as Grasshopper Valley. The airstrip is about 500 feet long, and 60 feet wide, oriented northwest/southeast, and has no wind indicators. The pilot said he flew several passes over the airstrip, and then landed toward the southeast. He said when the airplane touched down, it bounced slightly and floated. When it touched down again, he applied full engine power to abort the landing. He said the airplane did not seem to want to fly, and he pulled the engine power to idle and applied the brakes. The airplane overran the end of the strip, into an area of brush, encountered soft terrain, and nosed over. The airplane received structural damage to the right wing lift strut and the windshield. After the accident, the pilot reported that the wind appeared calm, but he thought that he may have encountered a slight tailwind during the landing. Following the accident, the pilot said he turned the airplane's emergency locator transmitter (ELT) off and removed its batteries. He then began to hike out of the area. The airplane's ELT was detected by the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center. Search airplanes located the accident site, and a rescue helicopter was dispatched to the scene about 1800. The helicopter crew did not find the pilot at the scene, but located him after dark, as he was pitching a tent for the night. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N37209](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N37209-2014-11-26), registration cancelled 2014-11-26, S/N 52, built 1942 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Interstate S-1A - Registry model: [Interstate S-1A](https://openairdocs.org/model/interstate-s-1a) (registry code 1850202) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-290 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-290-series) (registry code 41506, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 52 - Engines: Lycoming O-290D 125 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Bob G. Clay - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 1, 2003 - Departed: Wasilla, AK - Destination: Palmer, AK - Airport: Grasshopper Valley ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 56; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: front ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F - Altimeter: 30.13 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 20050507011359A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050507011359A), May 7, 2005: Arctic S1AARCTIC, Wasilla, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) According to the pilot, after touchdown the aircraft bounced and floated. The airman applied full engine power, however the aircraft did not seem to want… ## Other investigations on N37209 (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 ANC89LA104](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC89LA104), Jun 27, 1989: Interstate S-1A (N37209), Iliamna, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE ATTEMPTED GO-AROUND. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE ROUGH/UNEVEN TERRAIN AND THE BRUSH BESIDE THE RUNWAY. 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.