Willow Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Willow, Alaska 99688
Sunday, January 21, 1990 14:00 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE WHEEL EQUIPPED AIRPLANE NOSED OVER AFTER LANDING ON A RUNWAY COVERED WITH ABOUT TWO FEET OF UNPLOWED SNOW. A LOCAL NOTAM THAT CLOSED THE RUNWAY TO WHEELED AIRPLANES HAD NOT BEEN GIVEN TO THE PILOT DURING HIS PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

SELECTION OF AN UNSUITABLE LANDING AREA (UNSUITABLE TERRAIN) BY THE PILOT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DEEP SNOW ON THE RUNWAY AND FAILURE OF THE FLIGHT SERVICE STATION (FSS) SPECIALIST TO INFORM THE PILOT THAT THE RUNWAY WAS CLOSED TO WHEEL EQUIPPED AIRCRAFT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/21/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City WILLOW
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99688
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WILLOW
Event Location Nearest Airport ID Z22
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 220
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 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 73
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 21 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40644
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:43PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1802R
NTSB Number ANC90LA031
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 185
Aircraft Series Identifier 185
Aircraft Serial Number 18502518
Certified Max Gross Weight 3350
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 11 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 1440
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RICK D. RICHTER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7001 KITLISA
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99502
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 Z41
Departure City ANCHORAGE
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1340
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 31
Runway Length 4600
Runway Width 105
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --