Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fairbanks, Alaska 99701
Wednesday, June 4, 1997 20:00 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

About 15 minutes after takeoff, the engine suddenly lost power, and the pilot performed an emergency landing in a marshy area. During the landing roll, the airplane nosed over. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed a seized crankshaft connecting rod bearing.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

a seized crankshaft connecting rod bearing. A factor relating to the acciden was: the lack of suitable terrain for an emergency landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/4/1997
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 2000
Event Time Zone --
Event City FAIRBANKS
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99701
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 6
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1957 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 325
Weather Observation Facility ID FAI
Elevation of weather observation facility 434
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 32000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 9000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 80
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 931
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 4 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2032
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:19PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N85TA
NTSB Number ANC97LA084
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 Anderson Aircraft Corp.
Aircraft Model KITFOX IV-1200
Aircraft Series Identifier KITFOX IV-
Aircraft Serial Number HCU085
Certified Max Gross Weight 1200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 May 10 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 15
Airframe Hours 110
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TIMOTHY C. ANDERSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 4545
Aircraft Owner City EIELSON AFB
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99705
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 No
Departure Airport Code 95Z
Departure City NORTH POLE
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1945
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 Oct 10 2002 3:30PM
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 --