Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Anchorage, Alaska 99502
Wednesday, May 3, 1995 21:15 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL/CFI PILOT WAS RECEIVING AN AIRPLANE CHECKOUT FROM THE OWNER/PILOT PRIOR TO RENTING THE AIRPLANE. THE OWNER REDUCED THE ENGINE POWER TO IDLE TO SIMULATE AN ENGINE FAILURE AND FORCED LANDING. THE AREA CONSISTED OF OPEN AREAS OF SOFT TUNDRA MUSKEG AND TALL SPRUCE TREES. THE PILOT MANEUVERED THE AIRPLANE TOWARD A PROSPECTIVE LANDING AREA AND DESCENDED TO ABOUT 300 TO 500 FEET AGL. THE PILOT INITIATED A GO-AROUND AND ADVANCED THE THROTTLE TO BEGIN A CLIMB, BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. EMERGENCY PROCEDURES BY BOTH PILOTS DID NOT RESTORE ENGINE POWER. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO DESCEND AND COLLIDED WITH TREES. A POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP HAD FAILED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A FAILURE OF THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOTS' INADEQUATE IN-FLIGHT PLANNING AND UNSUITABLE TERRAIN IN THE AREA OF THE FORCED LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/3/1995
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 2115
Event Time Zone --
Event City ANCHORAGE
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99502
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 5
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 90
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
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 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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 703
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 4 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 552
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:15PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8312Z
NTSB Number ANC95LA052
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 205
Aircraft Series Identifier 205
Aircraft Serial Number 2050312
Certified Max Gross Weight 3000
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jun 28 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 74
Airframe Hours 4220
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM H. MERRILL JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 822 S. LANE ST.
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99508
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code MRI
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 2100
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 Maneuvering
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --