Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sterling, Alaska 99672
Thursday, August 3, 1995 20:00 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT OF CESSNA 206 FLOATPLANE, N206EJ, MADE A TOUCH-AND-GO LANDING ON A RIVER AND DEPARTED IN A SOUTHBOUND DIRECTION. HE THEN BEGAN A CLIMBING LEFT TURN TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHEAST. IN THE SAME VICINITY, THE PILOT OF PIPER PA-18, N7KA, WAS IN LEVEL FLIGHT ON A WESTERLY HEADING AT ABOUT 1,000 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE TWO AIRPLANES CONVERGED. JUST BEFORE COLLIDING, THE PA-18 PILOT SAW THE CESSNA 206. HE IMMEDIATELY PULLED UP INTO A CLIMB, BUT THE OUTBOARD RIGHT WINGTIP OF THE CESSNA CONTACTED THE LEFT TIRE OF THE PA-18. BOTH AIRPLANES CONTINUED TO THEIR RESPECTIVE DEPARTURE AIRPORTS AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE WEATHER CONDITION AT THE TIME WAS REPORTED AS 4,000 TO 5,000 FEET SCATTERED; VISIBILITY 10 MILES. THE SUN WAS LOCATED ON A 277 DEGREE HEADING FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE AND 16.2 DEGREES ABOVE THE HORIZON.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF BOTH PILOT'S TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT. THE LOW ANGLE OF THE SUN WAS A RELATED FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/3/1995
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2000
Event Time Zone --
Event City STERLING
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99672
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator Yes
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 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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 1217
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 3 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2205
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:29PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N206EJ N7KA
NTSB Number ANC95LA127A ANC95LA127B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None None
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Substantial None
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA PIPER
Aircraft Model 206 PA-18-150
Aircraft Series Identifier 206 PA-18-150
Aircraft Serial Number U20602507 18-7809069
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600 1750
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6 2
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 7 1995 12:00AM May 29 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 53 27
Airframe Hours 2800 1506
ELT Installed Yes Yes
ELT Activated No No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown Unknown
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES T. ZERNELL VERNON LOFSTEDT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3011 CAPSTAN DRIVE P.O. BOX 1042
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE KENAI
Aircraft Owner State AK AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99516 99611
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name TREVOR LOFSTEDT
Operator Same as Owner? Yes No
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown 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 Personal
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event No No
Departure Airport Code LHD SXQ
Departure City ANCHORAGE SOLDOTNA
Departure State AK AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1900 1900
Departure Time Zone ADT ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0 0
Runway Length -- --
Runway Width -- --
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --