Merrill Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Anchorage, Alaska 99508
Saturday, March 31, 1990 17:54 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WHILE LANDING IN VARIABLE WIND CONDITIONS. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY WENT OFF THE RUNWAY INTO SNOW, NOSED OVER, AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT SAID THAT HIS INABILITY TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, AS WELL AS THE VARIABLE WINDS, RESULTED IN THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THE UNFAVORABLE (VARIABLE) WIND AND SNOW COVERED TERRAIN WERE RELATED FACTORS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/31/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1754
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City ANCHORAGE
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99508
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MERRILL FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MRI
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 137
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1754 Atlantic Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID MRI
Elevation of weather observation facility 137
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation AST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
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) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 75
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 31 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1758
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40646
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4619T
NTSB Number ANC90LA050
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 MAULE
Aircraft Model M-4
Aircraft Series Identifier M-4
Aircraft Serial Number 87
Certified Max Gross Weight 2100
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RAYMOND H. TUCKER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4340 E. 5TH
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99508
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 ANC
Departure City ANCHORAGE
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1630
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 33
Runway Length 2469
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --