Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Knik Glacier, Alaska 99645
Saturday, August 21, 1993 19:30 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT SAID HE WAS LANDING AT A NARROW AND ROUGH REMOTE HUNTING SITE, AND HIS FORWARD VISIBILITY WAS LIMITED BY HEAVY RAIN. HE MISTAKENLY TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 10 FT TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE LANDING AREA ONTO ROUGH TERRAIN. THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE LEFT WING HIT THE GROUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER INFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION, AND HIS FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT. FACTORS WERE THE RAIN AND THE ROUGH/UNEVEN TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/21/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1930
Event Time Zone --
Event City KNIK GLACIER
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99645
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 8
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 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 2000
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) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Heavy
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) 176
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 22 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50523
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:33PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3817S
NTSB Number ANC93LA162
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172
Aircraft Series Identifier 172
Aircraft Serial Number 17251017
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 May 28 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 18
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name COCHRAN, JAMES A.
Aircraft Owner Street Address HC 02, BOX 7557A
Aircraft Owner City PALMER
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99645
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name COCHRAN, JAMES A.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address HC 02, BOX 7557A
Operator City PALMER
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99645
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 AK01
Departure City PALMER
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1900
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --