- Date
- March 26, 1997, 17:30 local (Mar 27, 1997, 01:30 UTC)
- Place
- Kake, AK
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N1295KLuscombe 8A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 4, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19970326003739A
- Case key
- 2973
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 failure to refuel the airplane prior to fuel exhaustion. Factors associated with the accident were the pilot's lack of familiarity with the geographic area, the pilot's becoming lost/disoriented, and rocks and boulders in the emergency landing area.
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 became disoriented and flew past the valley where the destination airport was located. He realized he was lost and low on fuel, and elected to make a precautionary landing. As he turned the airplane in preparation for landing on an open, sandy beach, the engine lost all power. The airplane nosed over during the forced landing on a rocky beach. Postaccident inspection disclosed no fuel in the intact fuel system.
Factual narrative
On March 26, 1997, about 1730 Alaska daylight time (ADT), a wheel equipped Luscombe LL-8-A airplane, N1295K, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing on a remote beach 21 miles west of Kake, Alaska. The private certificated pilot received minor injuries. The 14 CFR Part 91 cross country personal flight originated at Atlin Lake, British Columbia, at 1420 ADT, and was en route to Juneau, Alaska. A VFR flight plan was in effect, and the airplane operated in visual meteorological weather.
The pilot reported he was unfamiliar with flying in the area, became disoriented and was unsure of where Juneau was located. He realized the airplane had minimal fuel reserves remaining, and elected to make a precautionary landing on a remote and sandy beach site. During the turn to land, the engine lost all power, and a forced landing was made on a rocky beach short of the intended landing site. The airplane received substantial damage when it nosed over during the landing roll.
Postaccident inspection revealed no fuel in the fuel tank, lines, or engine. The fuel system remained intact.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1295K
- Reported as
- Luscombe 8A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 4022
- Airframe hours
- 1,883
- Engine
- Continental A-65-8-F, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Raymon Allen Gregg
- Registered owner
- Larry Gregg
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 18, 1996 · 47 hours before
- Departed
- CYSQ · Atlin Lake
- Destination
- JNU · Juneau, 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
- 44
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 107 total · 43 in this make and model · 70 as pilot in command · 43 in the last 90 days · 43 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 900 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 39 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PAF, 21 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.