- Date
- September 1, 2018, 14:10 local (22:10 UTC)
- Place
- Karluk, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3835SCessna 172
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 18, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180901012739A
- Case key
- 98230
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 maintain proper pitch for a soft-field landing, which resulted in a loss of airplane control.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, while landing on a beach, as he "relaxed" the back pressure on the yoke, the airplane ground looped, the right wing struck the ground, and then the left wing struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot added that, after examining the tracks in the sand, it was obvious that he had failed to hold back pressure on the yoke during the landing roll to maintain a proper soft-field technique.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, while landing on a beach, as he "relaxed" the back pressure on the yoke, the airplane ground looped, the right wing struck the ground, and then the left wing struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot added that after examining the tracks in the sand, it was obvious that he failed to hold back pressure on the yoke during the landing roll to maintain a proper soft-field technique.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3835S
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (E)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17251035
- Built
- 1963
- Airframe hours
- 2,722
- Engine
- Continental O-300-D, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 5, 2018
- Departed
- AKN · King Salmon, AK
- Destination
- Karluk, AK
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Handheld GPS
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
- 38
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 19, 2018
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 116 total · 112 in this make and model · 55 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.09 inHg
- Observed at
- PAKH, 69 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 15, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.4 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N3835S · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.