Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ft Richardson, Alaska 99505
Thursday, July 7, 1994 19:30 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED THAT HE SAW PEOPLE IN A BOAT IN KNIK ARM AND HE THOUGHT THEY NEEDED HELP. HE THOUGHT HE SAW A MARKED RUNWAY, SO HE LANDED NEXT TO THE FLAGS. THE LANDING AREA WAS ADJACENT TO A SURVEY LINE IN A RESTRICTED AREA IN THE FT. RICHARDSON ARTILLERY IMPACT AREA. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A TIDAL RAVINE. THE MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED AND BOTH WINGS BENT DOWNWARD WITH THE WINGTIPS TOUCHING THE GROUND. THE PILOT FAILED A FIELD SOBRIETY TEST THAT WAS ADMINISTERED BY THE FT. RICHARDSON MILITARY POLICE. THEY ADMINISTERED AN HCN TEST, AND DURING THE TEST THE PILOT'S EYES 'DISPLAYED A LACK OF SMOOTH PURSUIT', AND MAXIMUM DEVIATION OCCURRED AT 35%. THE PILOT WOULD NOT SUBMIT TO BLOOD OR URINE TESTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR LANDING. A FACTOR WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S IMPAIRMENT

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/7/1994
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1930
Event Time Zone --
Event City FT RICHARDSON
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99505
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2055 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID EDF
Elevation of weather observation facility 213
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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) 1146
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 7 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2130
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:39AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8466Y
NTSB Number ANC94LA077
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-18-150
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-18-150
Aircraft Serial Number 18-7309023
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
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 May 30 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours 4
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BERGREN, JOHN S.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 16420 ST. JAMES PLACE
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99516
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 No
Departure Airport Code MRI
Departure City ANCHORAGE
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1530
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 Landing
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --