Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Port Alsworth, Alaska 99653
Saturday, September 5, 1998 15:00 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The solo student pilot was on a cross country training flight. He stated that the airplane had been experiencing symptoms of carburetor ice, so he decided execute an off airport landing on a ridgetop gravel landing site to inspect the engine. The winds were light and variable. After landing, the tires hit a rut, he applied brakes, and the airplane nosed over. He indicated that fuel ran out of the tank vent, located just above the windscreen, and down over the engine. The airplane caught fire and was destroyed. The Emergency Locator Transmitter was consumed in the fire, and he was rescued the following day.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The solo student pilot's excessive application of brakes during taxi from landing. Factors associated with the accident were the pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for a precautionary landing, rough terrain, and the fuel leak from the fuel tank vent.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/5/1998
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone --
Event City PORT ALSWORTH
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99653
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 Not pertinent
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) 13
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) 1360
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 6 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:45AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4368M
NTSB Number ANC98LA142
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 Cessna
Aircraft Model 170B
Aircraft Series Identifier 170B
Aircraft Serial Number 26685
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 19 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 4506
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PENINSULA LAWN CARE, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO BOX 8984
Aircraft Owner City NIKISKI
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99635
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CRAIG M. DOMINICK
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City NIKISKI-MCGAHAN
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1130
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State AK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi
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 --