ANC93LA052

The pilot reported that the wind was 90 degrees to the runway (17-35). She began a takeoff on runway 17 with 3 passengers aboard, using soft field procedures. Runway 17 had a positive (upslope) grade of 1% & the first 400 feet of the runway were not available due to slush & puddles. The pilot said she aborted the takeoff when she became concerned that the airplane was not accelerating properly. Due to poor braking action on loose gravel, she was unable to stop on the remaining runway. Before stopping, the airplane hit a snow berm on the stopway about 10 to 20 feet beyond the departure end & was damaged. The flight information supplement for Alaska cautioned that the Kasigluk airport was unattended, that the runway conditions were not monitored, and that no airport maintenance was performed during winter months.

On April 12, 1993, at 0930 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 172, N13147, overran runway 17 during an aborted takeoff at Kasigluk, Alaska and collided with a snow berm. Kasigluk is approximately 19 nautical miles west of Bethel, Alaska. The commercial pilot and the three revenue passengers were not injured and the airplane sustained substantial damaged. The airplane was being operated as a commuter flight (flight 580) by Yute Air Alaska, Inc. under 14 CFR Part 135 when the accident occurred. The flight originated in Bethel Alaska. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a VFR company flight plan was filed.

The following information was relayed by the pilot to the NTSB investigator in charge (IIC) during a telephone and subsequent in person interview. She landed at Kasigluk using the north runway (runway 35) because the approach end of runway 17 had puddles of slush and standing water. Prior to departure from the airport she rechecked the gross weight and balance of the airplane and determined that it was more than 100 pounds under gross. After the plane's engine was started, she observed that the windsock was indicating a 90 degree crosswind relative to the runway headings. The pretakeoff aircraft and engine runup checks indicated that all systems were normal. She performed a soft field takeoff on runway 17 using 10 degrees of flap. She did not use the first 400 feet of the south runway because there were several pools of water in this area. The remainder of the gravel runway surface was firm and in fair to good condition. She aborted the takeoff at an indicated airspeed of less than 50 miles per hour when the airplane did not accelerate as rapidly as she had anticipated and did not liftoff from the runway. The airplane overran the end of the runway and struck a snow berm. Her flight training with Yute Air was approximately 3 to 4 hours in length and was followed by about 10 hours of initial operating line experience (IOE). The flight and ground training she received covered soft field takeoff and landings on remote unimproved sites.

Photographs taken of the airplane by Yute Air personnel shortly after the mishap show damage to the right elevator, the right wing leading edge, with buckling on the upper surface of the right wing, the nose landing gear, and the engine cowling.

The NTSB IIC asked the pilot if prior to commencing the takeoff she had determined the distance required for the takeoff run. The pilot said that she did not. The NTSB IIC asked the pilot if prior to beginning the takeoff run she had selected a reference point down and along the side of the runway whereby if the airplane showed no sign of wanting to fly at this point, the takeoff would be aborted. The pilot replied that she did not.

The Airport Remarks section of the United States Government Flight Information Publication Supplement for Kasigluk, Alaska states impart that, "Unattended. Runway condition not monitored. Recommend visual inspection prior to using. Runway on river ice during winter months, no airport maintenance. 120 foot stopway each end of runway - rough and soft. Runway 17-35 rutted with dips and rolls. Soft during breakup. Loose gravel on surface. Runway 17-35 slopes up to south end 1.0% grade."

Toxicological testing on the pilot for illicit drugs was negative.

Note. The pilot held a commercial pilot and a flight instructor certificate. The data block for the airline transport certificate was checked for compatability with the forms program.