- Date
- March 2, 2019, 12:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Palmer, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N53910Champion 8GCBC
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 6, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190302015569A
- Case key
- 99056
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 lateral control during landing, which resulted in the left ski impacting snow and a subsequent bounce and loss of directional 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 in the snow ski-equipped airplane reported that, during landing, just before touchdown, he noticed a rock sticking out of the snow near the intended touchdown point. He tried to change the airplane's course to the left, but the left ski contacted the snow when the airplane was not straight with the direction of travel, and the airplane bounced. The right ski then contacted the snow, and the right main landing gear strut failed. The right wing struck the ground, and the airplane came to rest. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing spar. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot in the snow ski-equipped airplane reported that during landing, just before touchdown, he noticed a rock sticking out of the snow near the intended touch down point. He tried to change the airplane's course to the left, but the left ski contacted the snow when the airplane was not straight with the direction of travel, and the airplane bounced. The right ski the contacted the snow and the right main landing gear strut failed. The right wing struck the ground, and the airplane came to rest. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing spar. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N53910
- Reported as
- Champion 8GCBC (No Series)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 192-76
- Built
- 1976
- Airframe hours
- 2,161
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360 C2E, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 1, 2019
- Departed
- 4AK6 · Wasilla, AK
- Destination
- Palmer, AK
- Equipment
- Satellite tracking device, Handheld GPS
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 65
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Last flight review
- April 8, 2018
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,035 total · 488 in this make and model · 1,035 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 21 °F
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 24, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.6 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.