Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Talkeetna River, Alaska 99567
Tuesady, September 7, 1993 16:00 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PILOT IN COMMAND ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF WITH OVERLOADED AIRPLANE FROM ROUGH RIVERBAR STRIP AND COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN. AIRPLANE EQUIPPED WITH MANUFACTURER'S AFTER-MARKET 32 GALLON BELLY TANK WHICH ALLOWED AIRCRAFT GROSS WEIGHT TO EXCEED MAXIMUM CERTIFICATED WEIGHT ANYTIME 10 GALLONS OF FUEL AS WELL AS MINIMUM CREW WERE ABOARD. THE AIRCRAFT WOULD ALWAYS BE OVER GROSS WEIGHT WHENEVER THE REAR SEAT WAS OCCUPIED. NO CAUTION BY MANUFACTURER OR FAA REGARDING LIMITATIONS ON USE OF PASSENGER SEAT WITH BELLY FUEL. AIRCRAFT WAS CERTIFIED AS 2 PLACE AIRPLANE BY FAA ALTHOUGH ADDITION OF ANY BELLY FUEL WOULD EXCEED MAXIMUM TAKEOFF WEIGHT WITH BOTH SEATS OCCUPIED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S IMPROPER PREFLIGHT PLANNING. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ROUGH/UNEVEN TAKEOFF LOCATION, THE EXCESS WEIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE, THE INADEQUATE DESIGN OF THE ADD-ON TANK BY THE MANUFACTURER AFFECTING THE WEIGHT AND BALANCE, AND THE INADEQUATE CERTIFICATION/APPROVAL OF THE TANK BY THE FAA.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/7/1993
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone --
Event City TALKEETNA RIVER
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99567
Event Date Year 1993
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 3000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 4
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 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 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 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2053
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 8 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:37PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N64AT
NTSB Number ANC93FA172
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 Unknown
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name INTERSTATE
Aircraft Model S-1B2 ARCTIC TERN
Aircraft Series Identifier S-1B2 ARCT
Aircraft Serial Number 1015
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GARY L. FRANKLYN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 951 JOHAM CIRCLE
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99515
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FRANKLIN, GARY L.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 951 JOHAM CIRCLE
Operator City ANCHORAGE
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99515
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1600
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ANC
Destination City ANCHORAGE
Destination State AK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 --