ANC98LA050

The solo pilot was landing at a remote gravel airstrip. The pilot stated that prior to landing he had received a pilot report indicating that there was a slight breeze, favoring a landing to the east. He looked at the airstrip windsock, noted that it was hanging limp, and prepared to land to the west. He said that while landing to the west, and just after touchdown, a gust of wind from behind pushed the tail of the airplane to the left. The airplane veered to the right, and went off the right side of the runway and came to rest in a ditch that borders the runway. He said that his decision to land to the west was based on a more favorable approach, and it would eliminate the need to back taxi.

On June 4, 1998, about 1300 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 170B airplane, N2235D, sustained substantial damage while landing at a remote airstrip at Kako, Alaska, located about 5 miles north of Russian Mission, Alaska. The solo private pilot/owner was not injured. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under Title 14 CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the accident airstrip about 1030, and was returning from Holly Cross, Alaska.

The pilot reported in his written statement to the NTSB that prior to landing he received a pilot report indicating that there was a slight breeze, favoring a landing to the east. The pilot looked at the airstrip windsock, noted that it was hanging limp, and prepared to land to the west. He stated that while landing to the west, and just after touchdown, a gust of wind from behind pushed the tail of the airplane to the left. The airplane veered to the right, and the pilot said he applied left rudder and left brake in an attempt to keep the airplane aligned with the runway. He said he was unable to maintain directional control, and the airplane went off the right side of the runway. The airplane came to rest in a ditch that borders the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, and fuselage.

The pilot noted in his written statement that his decision to land to the west was based on a more favorable approach, and it would eliminate the need to back taxi.