Philos Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wasilla, Alaska 99687
Saturday, January 5, 1991 16:30 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PRIVATE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO TAKEOFF WITH FROST ON THE UPPER SURFACES. WHEN HE REALIZED THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT GOING TO FLY BEFORE REACHING THE END OF THE RUNWAY, HE ABORTED THE TAKEOFF AND STEERED IT OFF THE RUNWAY AND INTO A SNOWBERM. HE SAID HE THOUGHT THE RUNWAY WAS ABOUT 2,000 FEET LONG. FAA RECORDS SHOW IT TO BE 1,250 FEET LONG.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PILOT'S NOT REMOVING THE FROST FROM THE AIRPLANE BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO TAKEOFF. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S DELAYED ABORT, AND THE BERM.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/5/1991
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City WASILLA
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99687
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PHILOS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID Z96
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 180
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 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 60
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 527
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44423
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 9:11AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4468L
NTSB Number ANC91FA019
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 172G
Aircraft Series Identifier 172G
Aircraft Serial Number 172-54563
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 Jan 30 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2000
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LARRY M. DRISKILL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 12151 WOODWAY CIRCLE
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99516
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name LARRY M. DRISKILL
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 12151 WOODWAY CIRCLE
Operator City ANCHORAGE
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99516
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 1430
Departure Time Zone AST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code MRI
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 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 3
Runway Length 1250
Runway Width 30
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --