# NTSB ANC16LA021: Jim Riggs AK Ridge Runner, N1549M, Wasilla, AK, April 23, 2016 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 23, 2016, 14:45 local (22:45 UTC) - Place: Wasilla, AK - Coordinates: 61.559722, -149.705001 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.5597&lon=-149.7050&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 12, 2016 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA Anchorage FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 93103 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC16LA021 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/93103/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=93103 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC16LA021 ## Probable cause The loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause) ## Analysis The light sport pilot was departing uphill from a 2,000-ft-long by 200-ft-wide gravel-covered runway, which was surrounded by trees. He said that, as the airplane approached midfield, it became airborne and the engine "sputtered," so he elected to abort the takeoff. After the airplane touched down, he was unable to stop it before striking a stand of trees at the end of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. A maintenance technician's postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. An aviation weather reporting station located 2 miles southeast of the accident site reported weather conditions about the time of the accident that were conducive for light to moderate carburetor icing at any engine power setting; however, the investigation could not determine whether carburetor icing caused the loss of engine power. ## Factual narrative On April 23, 2016, about 1445 Alaska daylight time, an amateur built, light sport, experimental AK Ridge Runner airplane, N1549M, sustained substantial damage during an aborted takeoff following a partial loss of engine power from Lincoln Village Airpark, Wasilla, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a personal flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, when the accident occurred. The light sport pilot, the sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. In a telephone interview with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on April 25, the pilot said that he was departing, uphill, from a 2,000-foot-long by 200-foot-wide gravel runway, which was surrounded by trees. He said that during the takeoff run, as the airplane approached midfield, it became airborne and the engine "sputtered" so he elected to abort the takeoff. He explained that after the airplane touched down again, he was unable to get the airplane stopped before striking a stand of trees at the end of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The airplane was equipped with a Continental Motors, O-200 series engine. During a follow-up telephone interview with the NTSB IIC on July 8, the accident pilot reported he and his maintenance technician's postaccident inspection of the airplane revealed no mechanical problems that would have precluded normal operations. He said that on the day of the accident, just before takeoff, he taxied the airplane to the end of the runway with the carburetor heat in the off position. When he reached the end of the runway, he momentarily applied carburetor heat, and then turned it off just before applying takeoff power. He added that loss of engine power was likely was due to carburetor icing. The closest weather reporting facility was the Wasilla Airport, about 5 miles south of the accident site. The 1416 weather observation from the Wasilla Airport was reporting, in part: Wind 180 degrees (true) at 5 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; clouds and sky condition, 8,500 overcast; temperature, 59 degrees F; dew point 32 degrees F; altimeter 29.61 inHg. According to a carburetor icing probability chart, the conditions at the time of the accident were conducive for light to moderate carburetor icing at any engine power setting. ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Takeoff: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1549M](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1549M), registered now, S/N 001 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: JIM RIGGS AK RIDGE RUNNER - Registry model: [Jim Riggs AK RIDGE RUNNER](https://openairdocs.org/model/jim-riggs-ak-ridge-runner) (registry code 05634CZ) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-200A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-200a) (registry code 17404, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 001 - Year built: 2015 - Airframe hours: 22 - Engines: Continental Motors O-200 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental light sport (Special) - Last inspection: Unknown, August 18, 2016, 22 hours before - Departed: 89AK, Wasilla, AK - Destination: 89AK, Wasilla, AK - Airport: 89AK, Lincoln Village Airpark, runway 16, 2,000 × 200 ft, gravel ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 60; injuries: none; student, sport pilot; seat: front; flight hours: 94 total, 22 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 8,500 ft overcast - Temperature: 59 °F, dew point 32 °F - Altimeter: 29.61 inHg - Observed at: PAWS, 5 nm away ## 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 20160423024539A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160423024539A), Apr 23, 2016: James Riggs AK RIDGE RUNNER, Wasilla, AK, Substantial damage. After take off from (private strip)89AK , , pilot reported he lost power immediately after takeoff and crashed into trees off left end of runway. Aircraft… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 25, 2016, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=93103. 1.6 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 813 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40443760&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Pilot's Statement (item 2, .PDF, 55 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40443761&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF - Photo of Damage (item 3, .PDF, 1 photo, 750 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40443762&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%20of%20Damage-Master.PDF 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.