Gustavus Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gustavus, Alaska 99826
Saturday, June 24, 1995 10:45 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIR TAXI PILOT WAS LANDING THE TRICYCLE GEAR AIRPLANE ON A HARD SURFACED RUNWAY. HE SAID THE TOUCHDOWN WAS ON THE MAIN LANDING GEAR, AND WAS SMOOTH AND UNEVENTFUL UNTIL HE LOWERED THE NOSEWHEEL TO THE RUNWAY. ALSO, HE SAID THAT AS SOON AS THE NOSEWHEEL TOUCHED DOWN, THE AIRPLANE VEERED TO THE LEFT, AND THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE AIRPLANE TO THE RIGHT. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO THE LEFT, AND THE NOSEWHEEL STRUT SUBSEQUENTLY COLLAPSED, DAMAGING THE FIREWALL. THE PILOT SAID THE AIRPLANE HAD AN OVERSIZED NOSEWHEEL TIRE. AN FAA INSPECTOR, WHO WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE AIRPLANE, SAID THE NOSEWHEEL STRUT MAY HAVE BEEN OVERINFLATED, WHICH MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO STEERING DIFFICULTIES. THE OPERATOR, WHO SUBMITTED THE NTSB ACCIDENT REPORT FORM, INDICATED THAT THERE WERE NO PREACCIDENT MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRPLANE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. A FACTOR RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE DIMINISHED NOSEWHEEL STEERING CAPABILITY DUE TO AN OVERINFLATED NOSEWHEEL STRUT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/24/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1045
Event Time Zone --
Event City GUSTAVUS
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99826
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GUSTAVUS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID GST
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 36
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 934 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID GST
Elevation of weather observation facility 36
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8500
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1030
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 24 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1355
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:18PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N84468
NTSB Number ANC95LA081
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172
Aircraft Series Identifier 172
Aircraft Serial Number 17258485
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection May 14 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 75
Airframe Hours 2400
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STEVE WILSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 16
Aircraft Owner City GUSTAVUS
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99826
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 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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code JNU
Departure City JUNEAU
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1015
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code GST
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 28
Runway Length 6700
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --