- Date
- June 17, 1987, 11:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Palmer, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4987Denney FOX 1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 5, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19870617020669A
- Case key
- 4761
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
On ground/water encounter with terrain/water
Terrain condition - ditchCause
In-flight planning/decision - improperCause
Terrain condition - loose gravel/sandyFactor
Unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - not identifiedCause
Terrain condition - rough/unevenFactor
Nose over
Analysis
The pilot stated that after touchdown on the sand bar the aircraft struck an open ditch. The pilot lost directional control of the aircraft causing the plane to nose over on its back.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4987
- Reported as
- Denney FOX 1
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 30
- Airframe hours
- 200
- Engine
- Rotax 503, 52 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Brant P Smith
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- PAQ · Palmer, AK
N4987Registration cancelled Nov 3, 2003 · Smith Brant P KITFOXAirframe modelSmith Brant P KITFOXEngine modelBombardier ROTAX (ALL)
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
- 18
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 450 total · 200 in this make and model · 350 as pilot in command · 80 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PAQ, 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.