- Date
- October 19, 1994, 14:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Palmer, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N97821Stinson 108-2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 29, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19941019049059A
- Case key
- 2607
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. Snow covered terrain in the landing area was a factor in the accident.
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.
Analysis
The pilot was landing a tundra tire equipped airplane on a glacier to pick up hunting equipment. This was a return flight to an area where the pilot had landed previously. Upon landing, the pilot realized that 6 to 8 inches of new snow was covering the landing area. During the landing roll, the airplane nosed over.
Factual narrative
On October 19, 1994, at 1400 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Stinson, 108-2 airplane, N97821, registered to and operated by the pilot, nosed over during landing at the base of the Marcus Baker Glacier located near Palmer, Alaska. The personal flight departed Birchwood, Alaska, and the destination was the accident site. No flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured and the airplane was substantially damaged.
According to the pilot, he was returning to the site to pick up some hunting gear. He stated that upon landing he realized that there was at least 6 to 8 inches of new snow on the landing area. His tire size was 900 X 6. During the landing roll the airplane nosed over onto its back.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N97821
- Reported as
- Stinson 108-2
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 108-2-1124
- Engine
- Franklin 6A4-165, 165 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Desselle, Lester J.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Z15 · Birchwood, AK
- Destination
- M.Baker Glacier, AK
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 36
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 430 total · 260 in this make and model · 415 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 60 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 37 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.