Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Delta Junction, Alaska 99737
Tuesady, November 3, 1992 12:15 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A STUDENT PILOT UNDER DUAL INSTRUCTION AND INSTRUCTOR ON A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT COMPLETED A CRUISE DESCENT WITH LOW ENGINE POWER AND DEVELOPED A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE. THE INSTRUCTOR TOOK CONTROL AND EFFORTS TO REGAIN POWER WITH CARBURETOR HEAT AND FULL THROTTLE WERE INEFFECTIVE. ATTEMPTS TO POSITION FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING AT A BLM STRIP WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL DUE TO HIGH WINDS. AN ALTERNATE LANDING AREA WAS SELECTED ON A DRY RIVER BED, HOWEVER, THE DECISION TO TURN INTO THE WIND WAS NOT MADE UNTIL APPROXIMATELY 200 FOOT AGL, TOO LATE TO AVOID A TAILWIND LANDING. DURING THE TAILWIND LANDING THE AIRPLANE'S NOSE WHEEL WAS DESTROYED ON INITIAL IMPACT AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S (CFI) IN FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION TO ATTEMPT A DOWN WIND FORCED LANDING IN HIGH SURFACE WIND CONDITIONS AND THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/3/1992
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1215
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City DELTA JUNCTION
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99737
Event Date Year 1992
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1215 Atlantic Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 310
Weather Observation Facility ID BIG
Elevation of weather observation facility 1150
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation AST
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) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 28
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 38
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 750
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 600
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 3 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1322
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47998
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:26PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3144X
NTSB Number ANC93LA011
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 150G
Aircraft Series Identifier 150G
Aircraft Serial Number 15064544
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 28 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 83
Airframe Hours 2280
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DONALD K. SPARKS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1725 UNIVERSITY AVE #18D
Aircraft Owner City FAIRBANKS
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99709
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DONALD K. SPARKS
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1725 S. UNIVERSITY #18D
Operator City FAIRBANKS
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99709
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code FAI
Departure City FAIRBANKS
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1015
Departure Time Zone AST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TOK
Destination City TOK
Destination State AK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --