- Date
- August 28, 2009, 14:33 local (22:33 UTC)
- Place
- Palmer, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1301HAeronca 15AC
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 29, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 20090828048949A
- Case key
- 74635
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 a runway excursion, collision with terrain, and nose over.
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 on a Title 14, CFR Part 91, personal cross-country flight which included landing at an off-airport site. The pilot said he made several low passes over the landing area prior to landing. He said he had plenty of room for a safe landing, but when it appeared the airplane was going to go off the end of the landing area he applied the brakes, and aimed for a brushy area. He reported that brush concealed a creek with a 3-foot bank. The airplane collided with the bank, and nosed over. The pilot said an examination of the landing area revealed that the surface was wet glacial silt, and much slicker than he had anticipated. He said there were no known mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. He said the airplane received substantial damage to the right wing, lift strut, and strut attachment.
Factual narrative
The private pilot was on a Title 14, CFR Part 91, personal cross-country flight which included landing at an off airport site. The pilot said he made several low passes over the landing area prior to landing. He said he had plenty of room for a safe landing, but when it appeared the airplane was going to go off the end of the landing area he applied the brakes, and aimed for a brushy area. He reported that the brush concealed a creek with a 3 foot bank. The airplane collided with the bank, and nosed over. The pilot said an examination of the landing area revealed that the surface was wet glacial silt, and much slicker than he had anticipated. He said there were no known mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. He said the airplane received substantial damage to the right wing, lift strut, and strut attachment.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1301H
- Reported as
- Aeronca 15AC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15AC-325
- Airframe hours
- 3,650
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Fair David E
- Registered owner
- Fair David E
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 1, 2008
- Departed
- LHD · Anchorage, 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
- 42
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 16, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 500 total · 90 in this make and model · 450 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.52 inHg
- Observed at
- PAQ, 20 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 25, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 632 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N1301H · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.