ANC99LA150

The solo private pilot told the NTSB investigator-in-charge that the airplane was in the landing flare when he noticed the touchdown area was washed out. He stated that he did not increase power to land farther down the 2,500 feet long by 60 feet wide gravel airstrip, but offset the airplane to the right, attempting to avoid the ruts. The airplane's right wing contacted alders growing on the edge of the airstrip, which turned the airplane about 45 degrees to the right. The airplane departed the right side of the airstrip, and the right wing sustained damage to the leading edge, leading edge ribs, and wingtip. The pilot added that the winds were calm.

On September 4, 1999, about 1600 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna 182 airplane, N3092Y, sustained substantial damage when it contacted brush during landing at an improved airstrip on McChord Creek, Alaska, at 63 degrees 39 minutes north latitude, 141 degrees 16 minutes west longitude, about 45 miles north of Northway, Alaska. The solo private pilot was not injured. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The flight departed Northway about 1500, for the McChord Creek airstrip. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed.

During a telephone interview with the NTSB investigator-in-charge on September 22, and in his NTSB Pilot/Operator report, the pilot stated that the airplane was in the landing flare when he noticed the touchdown area was washed out. He stated that he did not increase power to land farther down the 2,500 feet long by 60 feet wide gravel airstrip, but offset the airplane to the right, attempting to avoid the ruts. The airplane's right wing contacted alders growing on the edge of the airstrip, which turned the airplane about 45 degrees to the right. The airplane departed the right side of the airstrip, and the right wing sustained damage to the leading edge, leading edge ribs, and wingtip. The pilot added that the winds were calm.