Kako Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Russian Mission, Alaska 99657
Thursday, June 4, 1998 13:00 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The solo pilot was landing at a remote gravel airstrip. The pilot stated that prior to landing he had received a pilot report indicating that there was a slight breeze, favoring a landing to the east. He looked at the airstrip windsock, noted that it was hanging limp, and prepared to land to the west. He said that while landing to the west, and just after touchdown, a gust of wind from behind pushed the tail of the airplane to the left. The airplane veered to the right, and went off the right side of the runway and came to rest in a ditch that borders the runway. He said that his decision to land to the west was based on a more favorable approach, and it would eliminate the need to back taxi.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions while landing. A factor associated with the accident was the presence of a tailwind condition.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/4/1998
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone --
Event City RUSSIAN MISSION
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99657
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport KAKO
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 300
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
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 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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 611
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 4 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1957
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:31AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2235D
NTSB Number ANC98LA050
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 Cessna
Aircraft Model 170B
Aircraft Series Identifier 170B
Aircraft Serial Number 20387
Certified Max Gross Weight 2050
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 27 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 37
Airframe Hours 4163
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM J. WILSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 29
Aircraft Owner City RUSSIAN MISSION
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99657
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 4Z4
Departure City HOLY CROSS
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1230
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 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 27
Runway Length 2500
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --