Lake Hood Strip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Anchorage, Alaska 99502
Thursday, August 17, 1995 22:05 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS CONCLUDING A SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT WITH TWO PASSENGERS IN AN OPEN COCKPIT BIPLANE. WHILE IN A DOWNWIND LANDING PATTERN AT MIDFIELD AND 700 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY QUIT. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO LAND ON THE RUNWAY AND PERFORMED AN EMERGENCY LANDING INTO AN OPEN FIELD ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY. DURING THE LANDING, THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED SOFT MUSKEG, BRUSH AND SMALL TREES. IT CAME TO REST NOSE DOWN IN A NEAR VERTICAL POSITION. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THE ENGINE PRIMER WAS FOUND IN THE UNLOCKED POSITION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION, WHICH RESULTED IN AN UNLOCKED ENGINE PRIMER AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/17/1995
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2205
Event Time Zone --
Event City ANCHORAGE
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99502
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LAKE HOOD STRIP
Event Location Nearest Airport ID Z41
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 30
Airport Elevation 73
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2235 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 210
Weather Observation Facility ID ANC
Elevation of weather observation facility 144
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
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) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1401
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 17 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2255
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 Registration Number N134Q
NTSB Number ANC95LA143
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 WACO
Aircraft Model UPF-7
Aircraft Series Identifier UPF-7
Aircraft Serial Number 5484
Certified Max Gross Weight 2000
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 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 23 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 98
Airframe Hours 2772
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PHILIP J. ULRICH
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2100 ROOSEVELT DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55517
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CLASSIC AIR VENTURES
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
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code Z41
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 2150
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 Emergency 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 31
Runway Length 2200
Runway Width 70
Sight Seeing flight Yes
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --