# NTSB ANC07LA095: Short Bros. SC-7, N2088Z, McGrath, AK, September 1, 2007 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 1, 2007, 12:30 local (20:30 UTC) - Place: McGrath, AK - Coordinates: 62.858333, -152.626663 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=62.8583&lon=-152.6267&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 28, 2008 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA-AL-ANC FSDO 03 - NTSB case key (mKey): 66663 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC07LA095 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/66663/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC07LA095 ## Probable cause The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing and subsequent nose gear collapse during the landing roll. Contributing to the accident was the soft terrain. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - soft (contributing factor) - unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - selected, pilot in command (cause) - Nose gear collapsed, landing - roll - landing gear,nose gear assembly - overload (cause) ## Analysis The airline transport pilot was landing a twin-engine turboprop airplane at a remote lodge airstrip, which was about 1,000 feet long, and about 40 feet wide. During the landing roll, the nose landing gear strut collapsed when it encountered soft terrain. ## Factual narrative On September 1, 2007, about 1230 Alaska daylight time, a twin-engine turboprop Short Brothers SC-7 airplane, N2088Z, sustained substantial damage when the nose landing gear strut collapsed during the landing roll at a remote lodge airstrip, about 82 miles east-northeast of McGrath, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country nonscheduled cargo flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by Arctic Circle Air Service Inc., Fairbanks, Alaska. The airline transport certificated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated at the Fairbanks International Airport about 1030. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a VFR flight plan was filed. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on September 4, the director of operations for the operator reported that the pilot was landing toward the northwest at the Mystic Lake Lodge. The gravel surfaced runway was about 1,000 feet long, and about 40 feet wide. During the landing roll, the nose landing gear strut collapsed when it encountered soft terrain. On September 10, the director of maintenance for the operator reported that the fuselage received structural damage aft of the nose gear when the nose gear collapsed. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2088Z](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2088Z-2009-04-09), registration cancelled 2009-04-09, S/N SH-1963 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Short Bros. SC-7 - Registry model: [Short Bros. & Harland SC7 SERIES 3](https://openairdocs.org/model/short-bros-harland-sc7-series-3) (registry code 8100512) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [AiResearch TPE331 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/airesearch-tpe331-series) (registry code 01514, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: SH-1963 - Airframe hours: 10730 - Engines: Garrett TPE331-2-201A 715 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Arctic Circle Air Service Inc., doing business as Arctic Circle air - Registered owner: Arctic Air Group - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: AAIP, August 1, 2007, 114 hours before - Departed: PAFA, Fairbanks, AK - Destination: McGrath, AK - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: Mystic Lake Lodge ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 45; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review August 1, 2007; seat: left; flight hours: 15,000 total, 2,600 in this make and model, 15,000 as pilot in command, 260 in the last 90 days, 89 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 48 °F ## 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 20070901020959A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070901020959A), Sep 1, 2007: Stbros SC7SERIES3, Mystic Lake Lo, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) On landing pilot claims he hit a soft spot which caused the nose landing gear to fold aft crushing the lower belly frame and tearing the landing gear… ## Other investigations on N2088Z (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 ANC07FA103](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC07FA103), Sep 20, 2007: Short Bros. SC-7 (N2088Z), McGrath, AK, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: A collision with trees during takeoff-initial climb for an undetermined reason. 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.