Merrill Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Anchorage, Alaska 99501
Saturday, March 25, 1995 12:54 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT TO PREPARE A STUDENT PILOT FOR A PRIVATE PILOT CHECK-RIDE, THE INSTRUCTOR AND THE STUDENT WERE CONDUCTING TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS. ON THE THIRD LANDING, THE STUDENT UNDERSHOT THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH A 30 INCH SNOW BERM, ABOUT 15 FEET FROM THE THRESHOLD OF THE RUNWAY. THE NOSE WHEEL COLLAPSED AND THE AIRPLANE SLID ABOUT 200 FEET DOWN THE RUNWAY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A FAILURE OF THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT TO ADEQUATELY SUPERVISE THE STUDENT PILOT'S LANDING APPROACH. THE STUDENT PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER ALTITUDE AND DISTANCE TO THE RUNWAY TOUCH-DOWN POINT, AND A SNOW BERM AT THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/25/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1254
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City ANCHORAGE
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99501
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MERRILL FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MRI
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 137
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1256 Atlantic Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID MRI
Elevation of weather observation facility 137
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation AST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 20000
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) 75
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
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) 30
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 324
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 25 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1305
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:08PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N67563
NTSB Number ANC95LA038
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 15281913
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 Jan 26 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 74
Airframe Hours 3686
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THOMAS R. HABLETT
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 525
Aircraft Owner City PALMER
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99645
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SKY PRO AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
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 UKPC
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PAQ
Departure City PALMER
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1130
Departure Time Zone AST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code MRI
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 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 33
Runway Length 2640
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --