Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Selawik, Alaska 99770
Sunday, September 6, 1998 18:00 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated to two FAA inspectors that he was attempting to land on a 600 feet long, off airport landing site, with a 25 knot crosswind and gusts to 35 knots. During the landing, the right main landing gear separated and the airplane nosed over. The pilot said he would not have attempted to land, but he did not have enough fuel to return to his destination airport. The pilot also revealed that he had been flying with a student pilot certificate since 1983, and 'just had not had time to complete his private license.' He had accumulated about 1,000 flight hours at the time of the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind conditions. Factors in this accident were a crosswind, the pilot's lack of certification, and his inadequate fuel consumption calculations.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/6/1998
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1800
Event Time Zone --
Event City SELAWIK
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99770
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 9
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 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) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 25
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 35
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) 1024
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 7 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1045
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Feb 23 2001 1:54PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N28973
NTSB Number ANC98LA141
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 Christen Industries
Aircraft Model A-1 HUSKY
Aircraft Series Identifier A-1 HUSKY
Aircraft Serial Number 1018
Certified Max Gross Weight 1800
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 Aug 21 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 520
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERTS HOLDINGS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO BOX 47
Aircraft Owner City MELSTONE
Aircraft Owner State MT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 59054
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DAVID ROBERTS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1070 ELSMERE DRIVE
Operator City FAIRBANKS
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99709
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 GAL
Departure City GALENA
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City PURCELL MTN.
Destination State AK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 23 2001 1:54PM
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 --