Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Uganik River, Alaska 99615
Sunday, June 27, 1993 16:30 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT IN COMMAND OF THE TUNDRA TIRE EQUIPPED AIRCRAFT ELECTED TO LAND ON A SHORT GRAVEL BAR STRIP WHICH WAS STREWN WITH ROCKS. COMPENSATION FOR SHIFTING WINDS WAS NOT MADE AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. THE PILOT OVERFLEW THE STRIP PRIOR TO LANDING BUT DID NOT DETECT HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PILOT IN COMMANDS FAILURE TO COMPENSATE ADEQUATELY FOR SHIFTING WIND CONDITIONS AND HIS SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN ON WHICH TO LAND. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE ROUGH UNEVEN TERRAIN LANDING STRIP.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/27/1993
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone --
Event City UGANIK RIVER
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99615
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 6
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 On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 10
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 1630 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 10
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 15
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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) 1557
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 27 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:22PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N13880
NTSB Number ANC93LA103
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 7409051
Certified Max Gross Weight 1750
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 24 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 103
Airframe Hours 2074
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MACK'S SPORT SHOP, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 810 REZANOF DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City KODIAK
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99615
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MERRIMAN, THOMAS W.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 810 REZONOF, BOX 1155
Operator City KODIAK
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99615
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 KDK
Departure City KODIAK MUNI
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1545
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
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 0
Runway Length 500
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --