- Date
- March 27, 2006, 16:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Palmer, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2947DCessna 170B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 31, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Case key
- 63418
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, which resulted in the airplane nosing over during the landing roll. A factor associated with the accident was the snow covered terrain.
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 solo student pilot was conducting a personal local flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91. He said that while sightseeing near a frozen lake, he spotted a well-marked landing area in the snow. He said he elected to land there, and during the landing roll the main landing gear wheels broke through the crusted snow, and the airplane nosed over. The student pilot said the left wing, rudder, and vertical stabilizer were damaged during the accident.
Factual narrative
The solo student pilot was conducting a personal local flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91. He said while sightseeing near a frozen lake, he spotted a well-marked landing area in the snow. He said he elected to land there, and during the landing roll the main landing gear wheels broke through the crusted snow, and the airplane nosed over. The student pilot said the left wing, rudder, and vertical stabilizer were damaged during the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2947D
- Reported as
- Cessna 170B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 26890
- Airframe hours
- 4,224
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Clinton Melin
- Registered owner
- Clinton Melin
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- PAAQ · Palmer, AK
- Destination
- Palmer, AK
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
- 41
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 76 total · 38 in this make and model · 5 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.79 inHg