Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wasilla, Alaska 99687
Tuesady, September 29, 1998 18:14 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot told the NTSB investigator-in-charge that he was returning from a hunting lodge with a load of moose meat. He indicated that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane, and the winds at cruise were 45 miles per hour. He described being on final approach to land, at 500 feet above the ground, and encountering a 'hellacious wind which tossed the airplane around like a leaf.' Witnesses on the ground described 'very windy conditions,' and 'the plane spinning into the water.' Weather observations from a station located five miles southwest of the accident site recorded surface winds gusting to 25 knots at the time of the accident. The weather forecast was for moderate to severe turbulence within 2,000 feet of the surface, and winds from the north gusting to 25 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions, resulting in an inadvertent stall. Contributing factors were the gusty and turbulent weather conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/29/1998
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1814
Event Time Zone --
Event City WASILLA
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99687
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1800 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 210
Weather Observation Facility ID IYS
Elevation of weather observation facility 348
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 12000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 25
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1371
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 29 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1845
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 N6110C
NTSB Number ANC98LA165
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 Maule
Aircraft Model ML-7
Aircraft Series Identifier ML-7
Aircraft Serial Number 4049C
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
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 Sep 1 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 16
Airframe Hours 560
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BOBBY L. GRAHAM
Aircraft Owner Street Address HC33; BOX 3207
Aircraft Owner City WASILLA
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99654
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City MYSTIC LK LODGE
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1645
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City ISLAND LAKE
Destination State AK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --