Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chitina, Alaska 99566
Sunday, July 23, 1989 15:45 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

NEAR THE END OF THE LANDING ROLL DURING AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING, THE AIRPLANE'S MAIN WHEELS WENT INTO A SHALLOW DEPRESSION THAT CROSSED THE LANDING AREA, CAUSING THE AIRPLANE TO NOSE OVER ONTO ITS BACK. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE SHOULD HAVE APPLIED BRAKES EARLIER DURING THE LANDING ROLL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF AN UNSUITABLE LANDING AREA AND DELAY IN SLOWING THE AIRPLANE AFTER LANDING. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE ROUGH/UNEVEN TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/23/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1545
Event Time Zone --
Event City CHITINA
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99566
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
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 3000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 500
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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) 553
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 23 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39957
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7400K
NTSB Number ANC89LA128
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-20
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-20
Aircraft Serial Number 20-308
Certified Max Gross Weight 1950
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 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 20 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 28
Airframe Hours 3917
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name S.H. STRAUSS/T.N. HAND
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 531
Aircraft Owner City GLENNALLEN
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99588
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name STRAUSS, SCOTT H.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 531
Operator City GLENNALLEN
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99588
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 GKN
Departure City GULKANA
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1452
Departure Time Zone ADT
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 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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --