- Date
- May 16, 1998, 19:30 local (May 17, 1998, 03:30 UTC)
- Place
- Palmer, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4827DCessna 182A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 15, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19980516013259A
- Case key
- 3140
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 abort the landing. A factor associated with the accident is the presence of a variable wind condition.
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 solo private pilot was landing at a private, gravel airstrip in a tricycle landing gear equipped airplane. The pilot stated in his written report that while on final approach to the south runway, he encountered winds estimated to be from 220 degrees at 7 knots with gusts to 12 knots. As the airplane continued on the approach and went below the adjacent tree line, the rate of descent increased. He was unable to arrest the rate of decent prior to touchdown, and the airplane bounced on landing. He recovered from the bounce, and flew further down the runway and landed about midfield of the 1,250 feet long runway. He realized after touchdown he would be unable to stop the airplane before reaching the end of the runway, and elected to make a hard turn to the right and apply heavy breaking. During the turn, the left wing struck the ground and sustained substantial damage.
Factual narrative
On May 16, 1998, about 1930 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 182A airplane, N4827D, sustained substantial damage while landing at a private airstrip located about 5 miles west of Palmer, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under Title 14 CFR Part 91 when the accident occurred. The solo private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no FAA flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Palmer Municipal Airport, Palmer, at 1915.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge, on May 21, 1998, at 1015, the pilot reported that while on approach to the south runway, he encountered winds estimated to be from 220 degrees at 7 knots with gusts to 12 knots. He said as the airplane continued on the approach and went below the adjacent tree line, the rate of descent increased. He was unable to arrest the rate of descent prior to touchdown, and the airplane bounced on landing. He recovered from the bounce, and flew further down the runway and landed about midfield of the 1,250 feet long runway. He realized after touchdown he would be unable to stop the airplane before reaching the end of the runway, and he elected to make a hard turn to the right. During the turn, the left wing struck the ground and received substantial damage.
The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4827D
- Reported as
- Cessna 182A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 34927
- Airframe hours
- 2,908
- Engine
- Continental O-470-L, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Barry J. Ruff
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 18, 1997 · 138 hours before
- Departed
- PAQ · Palmer, AK
- Airport
- runway 18, 1,250 × 75 ft, gravel
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
- 46
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 490 total · 50 in this make and model · 460 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 7 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 45 °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.