Chena Marina Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fairbanks, Alaska 99708
Wednesday, February 2, 2000 15:00 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The commercial pilot was on a local pleasure flight in his experimental airplane. During the flight the left engine cylinder head temperature began to overheat, and he elected to shut that engine down. The pilot stated that during landing, the winds were blowing and gusting from the right. During landing roll, a wind gust lifted the right wing. The pilot added power to the operating (right) engine, the airplane departed the left side of the snow-covered runway, and struck a snow berm. The pilot wrote in his NTSB Pilot/Operator report that he could have restarted the left engine for the landing.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper compensation for wind conditions during the single-engine landing. Factors associated with this accident were the pilot's intentional shut down of the left engine, the right crosswind, the icy runway, and the snow berms on the edge of the runway.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/2/2000
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City FAIRBANKS
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99708
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport CHENA MARINA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID AK28
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 427
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 9000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) -7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 25
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) 725
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 3 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1535
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record May 11 2001 4:04AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6381V
NTSB Number ANC00LA023
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 Stirling
Aircraft Model AIR CAM
Aircraft Series Identifier AIR CAM
Aircraft Serial Number 046
Certified Max Gross Weight 1750
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 22 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 36
Airframe Hours 36
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ERIC L. STIRLING
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO BOX 82612
Aircraft Owner City FAIRBANKS
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99708
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 AK28
Departure City FAIRBANKS
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1435
Departure Time Zone AST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 11 2001 4:04AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 4700
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --