Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Palmer, Alaska 99645
Wednesday, October 2, 1996 12:24 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was departing his 700 feet long grass strip in a tundra-tire/tail-wheel equipped airplane to transport a passenger to a hunting area. The airplane climbed to about 100 feet above the ground while in a slight right turn. The pilot described the airplane's tail as suddenly being pushed downward by a gust of wind. The airplane then descended in a right wing and nose low attitude toward the ground, through two strands of high voltage electrical wires. The pilot recalled seeing sparks emanating from the right wingtip. The airplane struck the ground in a small grove of trees 2/10 of a mile from the departure end of the runway, and a postcrash fire erupted. No mechanical malfunction of the engine was found. The pilot reported the wind conditions as light and variable. Wind conditions from an airport 1/2 mile northeast of the accident site, one half hour before the accident, were reported as 9 knots. One half hour after the accident, the wind conditions were 15 knots with gusts to 32 knots. Local residents reported strong gusty winds throughout the area. No evidence was found that the pilot had obtained an official weather briefing.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions and failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall. The unfavorable wind condition was a related factor.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/2/1996
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1224
Event Time Zone --
Event City PALMER
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99645
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 10
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1156 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 45
Weather Observation Facility ID PAA
Elevation of weather observation facility 232
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Day
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) 5
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 145
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1882
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 2 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1235
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:24AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N64RS
NTSB Number ANC97FA002
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-18
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-18
Aircraft Serial Number 18-6078
Certified Max Gross Weight 1750
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 Jun 19 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 36
Airframe Hours 4264
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FREMONT L. HOTCHKISS
Aircraft Owner Street Address HC04 BOX 9786
Aircraft Owner City PALMER
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99645
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1223
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City GEORGE GLACIER
Destination State AK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --