ANC99LA155

The solo private pilot was attempting to takeoff from a gravel bar with buffalo meat from a successful hunt. The airplane collided with a smaller gravel bar, sustaining substantial damage to the left wing, left horizontal stabilizer, left elevator, tail cone, and engine firewall. The left elevator was missing the outboard six inches, and the left elevator horn and balance weight. The Alaska State Trooper who discovered and documented the airplane the day after the accident, interviewed the pilot's hunting partner. The partner told the trooper the pilot said that during takeoff the wind died, he lost ground effect, and the sun was in his eyes. The trooper documented tire tracks on the large bar leading to the river's edge, and tracks on the smaller bar ending at the airplane. The pilot told the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC) that he landed on the smaller gravel bar the day prior to the accident, and the damage occurred while he was taxiing. A pilot who transported the accident pilot to a landing strip where he could arrange repairs told the NTSB IIC that the accident pilot taxied the airplane to the smaller gravel bar, across the 75 feet wide by 3 feet deep stretch of river at low water, and that the water level had risen. The trooper told the NTSB IIC that it did not appear possible to taxi an airplane between the two gravel bars.

On September 6, 1999, about 1400 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna 182 airplane, N1881X, sustained substantial damage when it collided with terrain during the takeoff roll from an off airport gravel bar about 27 miles southeast of Nikolai, Alaska, at 62 degrees 40.83 minutes north latitude, 153 degrees 47.24 minutes west longitude. The private pilot was not injured. The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight in support of the pilot's hunting camp. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed.

An Alaska State Trooper discovered and examined the accident site on September 7, and noted that the airplane was on the smaller of two gravel bars in the Kuskokwim River. The larger bar had a takeoff area marked with flags, and fuel containers. The larger bar had a set of three tire tracks, matching the dimensions of the Cessna 182's tires, that ended at the water's edge closest to the smaller bar. The river was about 75 feet wide between the two bars, and the trooper said the water depth would have required hip boots to walk between them. The trooper also told the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC) the edge of the water channel dropped off abruptly. The trooper described tire tracks between the edge of the water and the airplane on the smaller bar. The airplane was about 200 feet beyond the water separating the two bars.

Both the trooper, and the pilot who ferried the airplane to Anchorage, Alaska, for repairs, described substantial damage to the engine firewall, the left horizontal stabilizer and elevator, the left wing, and the tail cone and empennage. The left elevator was missing the outboard six inches, and the left horn and balance weight. A review by the NTSB IIC of photographs taken by the Alaska State Trooper at the accident site confirmed this damage.

According to the Alaska State Trooper's report, he was told by the pilot's hunting partner at the accident site on September 7, that the pilot crashed attempting to takeoff with buffalo meat from a successful hunt. The trooper wrote that he was told the pilot mentioned the wind stopped, he lost ground effect, and the sun was in his eyes, during his takeoff attempt. The partner told the trooper the crash occurred sometime after lunch, but before dinner, on September 6.

When the NTSB IIC interviewed the pilot on September 16, he stated that he was taxiing to get fuel, and taxied into a rut. When asked how the airplane got onto the small gravel bar, he replied that he landed it there, and the damage occurred during taxi on the small bar.

The NTSB IIC asked the pilot who transported the accident pilot to a location where he could arrange for repairs, how the airplane got onto the smaller bar. He said the pilot taxied it across the river when the water level was low, and the river rose after the accident. The trooper told the NTSB IIC that it did not appear possible to taxi an airplane between the two gravel bars.

Research revealed the most recent annual inspection of the airplane was on July 18, 1997, 26 months prior to the accident. The pilot's third class medical certificate was expired.

Written requests for, and copies of, the NTSB Pilot/Operator Report (NTSB 6120.1/2) were sent to the owner/pilot on September 8, September 15, and October 1, 1999. The owner/pilot did not return any of these reports.