- Date
- June 4, 1989, 15:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Anaktuvuk Pass, AK
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N3148MPiper PA-12
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 22, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19890604014099A
- Case key
- 5195
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 failed to adequately compensate for downdrafts encountered after departing a gravel bar that was surrounded by mountainous terrain.
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.
Loss of control - in flight
Weather condition - downdraftFactor
Compensation for wind conditions - inadequateCause
Wind information - not identifiedFactor
In flight collision with terrain/water
Terrain condition - mountainous/hillyFactor
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3148M
- Reported as
- Piper PA-12
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-1835
- Airframe hours
- 3,637
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Keith A. Echelmeyer
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 1, 1989 · 81 hours before
- Destination
- BET · Bettles, AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
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
- 34
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,028 total · 267 in this make and model · 935 as pilot in command · 81 in the last 90 days · 32 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 55 °F
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 N3148M · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.
NTSB ANC14CA088Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportHoly Cross, AKThe pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for takeoff/landing and failure to maintain control of the aircraft.NTSB ANC88LA133Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportFairbanks, AKThe private pilot stated that he was attempting to land on a gravel bar when the airplane encountered a soft spot and nosed over. He said that a contributing factor in the accident was that he had applied his brakes too strongly early in the landing roll, and…