- Date
- March 3, 2020, 08:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Sterling, AK
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9632SChampion 7GCAA
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing area undershoot
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA, Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20200303005659A
- Case key
- 101057
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 altitude/clearance during approach, which resulted in the airplane impacting an area of deep snow. A factor associated with the accident was flat light conditions.
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
In her written statement the pilot reported that while landing at a remote snow-covered airstrip, she inadvertently touched down about 20 ft short, and into an area of deep powder snow. The airplane subsequently nosed over, sustaining substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. The pilot reported no mechanical problems with the airplane that would have precluded normal operations. Additionally, the pilot noted that flat light conditions made it very difficult to discern any topographical features of the airstrip and snow-covered terrain. The pilot did not submit a Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9632S
- Reported as
- Champion 7GCAA
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 60
- Built
- 1966
- Engine
- Lycoming 0-320 SERIES, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Sarah Shaw
- Registered owner
- Zimmerman Daniel R
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- 88AK · Dutch Landing Strip, runway 7, 1,300 × 100 ft, snow
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
- 19
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 150 total · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 7 °F, dew point 1 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.47 inHg
- Observed at
- Soldotna Airport, 6.4 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 3, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.5 MB 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 N9632S · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.