Fairbanks International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fairbanks, Alaska 99709
Tuesady, April 6, 1999 14:09 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The certificated private pilot was planning to practice touch and go landings. After takeoff, he began his first landing approach to the runway. The terrain around the airport was snow-covered. The pilot said that light snow showers had begun in the area, and during his approach, the light conditions were flat. He touched down in an area that he thought was the approach end of the runway. Instead, the pilot landed about 300 feet short of the runway in an area of snow-covered terrain. The airplane rapidly decelerated and nosed over. A METAR from the airport was reporting the visibility as eight miles in light snow. Snow began two minutes before the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point on the runway. Factors in the accident were snow showers and snow-covered terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/6/1999
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1409
Event Time Zone --
Event City FAIRBANKS
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99709
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FAIRBANKS INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PAFA
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 10
Airport Elevation 434
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1414 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 190
Weather Observation Facility ID FAI
Elevation of weather observation facility 434
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 0
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 222
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 171
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 6 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1440
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:29AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N39091
NTSB Number ANC99LA044
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Luscombe
Aircraft Model 8A
Aircraft Series Identifier 8A
Aircraft Serial Number 1852
Certified Max Gross Weight 1200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 23 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 11
Airframe Hours 2792
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ARNOLD A. GRIESE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3070 RIVERVIEW DR.
Aircraft Owner City FAIRBANKS
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99701
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code FAI
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1403
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 19L
Runway Length 3190
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --