Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Windy Fork, Alaska
Sunday, August 13, 1989 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT & PAX DEPARTED ON A SHEEP HUNTING TRIP ON 8/5/89 & WERE EXPECTED TO RETURN BY 8/19/89. WHEN THEY WERE OVERDUE, A SEARCH WAS INITIATED & THE ACFT WAS FOUND ON 8/20/89, WHERE IT CRASHED INTO RISING TERRAIN NEAR A GRAVEL BAR. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE ACDNT MAY HAVE OCCURRED AS THE ACFT WAS BEING OPERD FROM THE GRAVEL BAR. AN EXAM REVEALED THE ACFT HAD CRASHED IN A STEEP, NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE, CONSISTENT WITH A STALL. NO MECHANICAL ANOMALIES OF THE ACFT WERE FOUND DRG THE INVESTIGATION. ON AN APPLICATION FOR THE PLT'S LAST MED CERT, DATED 12/16/88, HE RPRTD A TOTAL FLT TIME OF 270 HRS. ELEV OF THE CRASH SITE WAS APRX 2800 FT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED WHILE OPERATING TO OR FROM THE GRAVEL BAR, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. THE RISING TERRAIN WAS CONSIDERED A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/13/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 0
Event Time Zone --
Event City WINDY FORK
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 8
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 Witness
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 Not Reported
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
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) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1090
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 20 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1258
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39367
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:56PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Unknown
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7542H
NTSB Number ANC89FA144
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-12
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-12
Aircraft Serial Number 12-408
Certified Max Gross Weight 1750
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 May 20 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 2574
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAROS, MARTIN R
Aircraft Owner Street Address 13336 BRANT WAY
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99515
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JAROS, MARTIN R.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 13336 BRANT WAY
Operator City ANCHORAGE
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99515
Operator Code NONE
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MRI
Destination City ANCHORAGE
Destination State AK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --