# NTSB ANC93LA142: Cessna 172, N65626, Black Rapids, AK, August 13, 1993 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 12, 1993, 22:15 local (Aug 13, 1993, 06:15 UTC) - Place: Black Rapids, AK - Coordinates: 63.700778, -144.889251 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=63.7008&lon=-144.8893&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 17, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 2401 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC93LA142 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/2401/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC93LA142 ## Probable cause THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION, AND HIS DELAY IN TAKING REMEDIAL ACTION. FACTOR WAS THE ROUGH, UNEVEN TERRAIN. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Overrun, landing - roll - Nose over, landing - roll - in-flight planning/decision - improper, pilot in command (cause) - remedial action - delayed, pilot in command (cause) - terrain condition - rough/uneven (contributing factor) ## Analysis AFTER TOUCHING DOWN NEAR THE MIDWAY POINT ON THE SOFT GRAVEL RUNWAY, THE PILOT ADDED POWER TO MAKE A GO AROUND. HE QUICKLY RELAIZED THAT BECAUSE OF THE SOFT SURFACE THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT ACCELERATING SUFFICIENTLY TO GET AIRBORNE BEFORE REACHING THE END OF THE RUNWAY. HE REDUCED THE POWER TO IDLE AND APPLIED THE BRAKES BUT THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND NOSED OVER. ## Factual narrative On August 12, 1993, at 2215 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 172 airplane, N65626, overran the runway and nosed over while landing at Black Rapids, Alaska. The private pilot and the one passenger, his father, were not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The personal flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 91, departed Fairbanks, Alaska, at approximately 2015. Visual meteorological conditions existed, and a Company VFR flight plan was filed. Shortly after the accident, the pilot stated that he landed too fast and touched down about half way down the runway, then was not able to stop before overrunning the end of the runway. After leaving the runway, the airplane encountered a muddy area, then abruptly slowed down and nosed over. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION According to information from the National Weather Service, on the day of the accident at Delta Junction, Alaska, the sun set at 2207 and the end of civil twilight was at 1114. Delta Junction is located 30 miles north of Black Rapids. On the NTSB Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), the pilot reported that at the time of the accident the winds were "variable at 25 knots". However, he told FAA Inspector Donald S. Lindsey, FSDO-01, in Fairbanks, Alaska, that the winds had been "light and variable". Following the accident, the passenger, Mr. Max B. Crowder, the pilot's father, was contacted by telephone. During the conversation, he stated the following in part: "I am not a pilot. I had flown with Keith only 2 times, other than the accident flight and that was on the 2 days preceding the accident. The strip was dry, soft, and rough. We first touched down about half way down the runway. Keith added power then cut it completely. He used the brakes, but we still went off the end, which was about a foot lower and nosed over. Right after the accident, a man named Chuck stopped and offered his assistance. He said we had landed with a tailwind. Chuck drove Keith to Delta Junction, then drove me on to Fairbanks." The pilot had rented the airplane from The Aviation Company, 3788 South University Avenue, Fairbanks, Alaska 99709. Mr. Ken Snyder, owner of that company, was contacted following the accident. During the telephone conversation, Mr. Snyder said the following in part: "Just after the accident Keith Crowder (the accident pilot) telephoned and told me about the accident. He said he landed too fast and touched down too far down the runway, then discovered that the surface was soft. He added power and aborted the landing, but because of the soft surface, the airplane was not gaining airspeed fast enough to get airborne before reaching the end of the runway so he cut the engine power again. he applied brakes, but the airplane still ran off the end and nosed over." The pilot had been issued his private pilot license on June 13, 1993. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N65626](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N65626), registered now, S/N 17275790, built 1982 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172 - Registry model: [Cessna 172P](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172p) (registry code 2072436) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 172-75790 - Airframe hours: 5794 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Snyder, Ken, doing business as The Aviation Company - Registered owner: Berglin, William A. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: AAIP, August 1, 1993, 29 hours before - Departed: FAI, FAIRBANKS, AK - Flight plan: Company VFR - Airport: 5BK, Black Rapids, runway 32, 2,400 × 60 ft, gravel ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 37; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 158 total, 30 in this make and model, 75 as pilot in command, 30 in the last 90 days, 22 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: variable at 25 knots - Visibility: 40 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 5,000 ft broken - Temperature: 55 °F, dew point 39 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19930812029209A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930812029209A), Aug 12, 1993: Cessna 172P, Black Rapids, AK, Substantial damage. Landed long and fast downwind. Ran off end of runway and nosed over. From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.