- Date
- August 9, 2013, 13:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Arctic Village, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N286AMAviat A-1B
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 2, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20130809015759A
- Case key
- 87725
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 failure to maintain clearance from terrain while maneuvering at low altitude.
Findings · 1
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 pilot stated that while maneuvering the airplane to make a low pass of a remote gravel bar, he inadvertently lost altitude and the right wing struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, wings and lift struts. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. In the recommendation section of the NTSB Accident/Incident Reporting Form 6120.1, the pilot stated that the accident may have been prevented if he had maintained awareness of wind conditions and how it affects aircraft performance.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that while maneuvering the airplane to make a low pass of a remote gravel bar, he inadvertently lost altitude and the right wing struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, wings and lift struts. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. In the recommendation section of the NTSB Accident/Incident Reporting Form 6120.1, the pilot stated that the accident may have been prevented if he had maintained awareness of wind conditions and how it affects aircraft performance.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N286AM
- Reported as
- Aviat A-1B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2286
- Airframe hours
- 918
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Josefsohn Pierre
- Registered owner
- Josefsohn Pierre
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 7, 2013
- Departed
- Deadhorse, AK
- Destination
- Bettles, 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
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 3, 2012
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 2,850 total · 168 in this make and model · 2,650 as pilot in command · 140 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 12,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.71 inHg
- Observed at
- PARC, 30 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 20, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 473 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.