Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kenai, Alaska 99611
Wednesday, November 11, 1998 14:00 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The private pilot was attempting to land on a remote sand bar. He reported that as the airplane touched down, he determined that the landing area was too short to complete a safe landing, and he attempted to abort the landing. As the throttle was advanced, the engine quit, and that he was unable to stop the airplane before reaching the end of the sand bar. The airplane went down an embankment, entered a river, and nosed over. The pilot related that he did not use carburetor heat during the aborted landing, and that carburetor ice was the reason for the loss in power. He added that there was nothing mechanically wrong with the airplane. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, wings, and the right wing lift strut.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to use carburetor heat. A factor associated with the accident was weather conducive to carburetor icing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/11/1998
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City KENAI
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99611
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 11
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 Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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) 1384
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 12 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 835
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 N3391Z
NTSB Number ANC99LA013
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 Piper
Aircraft Model PA-18-150
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-18-150
Aircraft Serial Number 18-7276
Certified Max Gross Weight 1650
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 Jun 9 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 69
Airframe Hours 4939
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MICHAEL M. THOMPSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4449 BEAVER LOOP ROAD
Aircraft Owner City KENAI
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99611
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code ENA
Departure City
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 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 --