Birchwood Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chugiak, Alaska 99567
Sunday, December 15, 1991 16:30 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 30 FEET SHORT OF THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY IN ABOUT 2 FEET OF SNOW, THEN NOSED OVER ONTO THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE THOUGHT THE FLAT LIGHTING CONDITIONS CONTRIBUTED TO HIS FINAL APPROACH ALTITUDE BEING TOO LOW. THE PRIVATE PILOT REPORTED HAVING A TOTAL OF 430 FLIGHT HOURS, OF WHICH ONLY 1.5 WAS AT NIGHT AS THE PIC. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ABOUT 50 MINUTES AFTER SUNSET.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE DURING THE FINAL APPROACH. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE PERFORMING LANDINGS IN REDUCED LIGHT CONDITIONS, THE POOR LIGHT CONDITION AT DUSK, AND THE SNOW COVERED TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/15/1991
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City CHUGIAK
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99567
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BIRCHWOOD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID Z15
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 96
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 Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 2500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) -2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
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) 1935
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45871
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:53AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N767C
NTSB Number ANC92LA020
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 STINSON
Aircraft Model 108
Aircraft Series Identifier 108
Aircraft Serial Number 108-3767
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 Jun 5 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 2900
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HANSEN, CHRISTIAN F.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 18316 HIDDEN FALLS AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City EAGLE RIVER
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99577
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HANSEN, CHRISTIAN F.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 18316 HIDDEN FALLS AVENUE
Operator City EAGLE RIVER
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99577
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 Z15
Departure City CHUGIAK
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1625
Departure Time Zone AST
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 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 19
Runway Length 4010
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --