- Date
- December 31, 2020, 14:45 local (23:45 UTC)
- Place
- Hope, AK
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N949AFCessna 172R
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Mrzena
- FAA report
- 20201231016119A
- Case key
- 102493
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. A factor was the certified flight instructor’s selection of unsuitable terrain for landing.
Findings · 3
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
During an instructional flight, prior to landing, the pilots over flew the runway at pattern altitude to assess the runway conditions. The runway was observed snow-covered and appeared to have “recent tire track marks down the center of the runway”. The pilots chose to attempt a landing; however, during the touchdown, on the snow-covered runway, the main landing gear dug into the snow and the airplane decelerated rapidly. Subsequently, the nose-wheel entered the snow, “pivoting the airplane onto the nose”, and both wingtips struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the empennage. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airport supplement remarks state: “Unattended. Be alert rwy condition not monitored. Recommend visual inspection prior to landing.” The flight instructor added that this accident could have been prevented by calling the airport and inquiring about the condition of the runway before the flight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N949AF
- Reported as
- Cessna 172R
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17280449
- Built
- 1998
- Engine
- Lycoming I0360 SER, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Elmendorf Air Force Base Aero Club
- Registered owner
- Elmendorf Air Force Base Aero Club
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Departed
- JLA · Cooper Landing, AK
- Destination
- PAED · Anchorage, AK
- Flight plan
- Military VFR
- Airport
- 5HO · Hope, runway 35, 2,040 × 60 ft, gravel
- Equipment
- ADS-B
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 32
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 23, 2020
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 254 total · 170 in this make and model · 208 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 36
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 31, 2020
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 668 total · 186 in this make and model · 582 as pilot in command · 104 in the last 90 days · 19 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 350° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 16 °F, dew point 10 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.71 inHg
- Observed at
- PANC, 20 nm away
- METAR
- PANC 312353Z 35004KT 10SM FEW200 M09/M12 A2971 RMK AO2 SLP063 4/016 I6000 T10891117 11078 21100 56014
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.