- Date
- October 17, 2008, 15:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Skwentna, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Other
- Aircraft
- N57446Bellanca 7GCBC
- Defining event
- Other: Abnormal runway contact
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 11, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20081017850759A
- Case key
- 69328
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.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The private pilot was making a local, personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91. He said he decided to attempt a landing on a snow covered sandbar. He reported that his intent was to lay down tracks to test the firmness of the surface prior to landing. He said during the process the airplane's main landing gear broke through the crusted snow, and the airplane nosed over. The pilot said there were no mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
The private pilot was making a local, personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91. He said he decided to attempt a landing on a snow covered sandbar. He reported that his intent was to lay down tracks to test the firmness of the surface prior to landing. He said during the process the airplane's main landing gear broke through the crusted snow, and the airplane nosed over. The pilot said there were no mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N57446
- Reported as
- Bellanca 7GCBC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 507-73
- Airframe hours
- 3,705
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Norton Leslie J
- Registered owner
- Norton Leslie J
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 2, 2008
- Departed
- PAMR · Anchorage, AK
- Destination
- PAMR · Anchorage, 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
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 691 total · 651 in this make and model · 623 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 36 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.