Tanacross Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tanacross, Alaska 99776
Wednesday, September 6, 1989 17:30 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER RTRNG FM A HUNTING TRIP, THE PLT WAS PREPARING TO FLY TO ANOTHER LOCATION. SOMEONE ASKED HIM IF IT WOULD BE PERMISSIBLE TO FILM HIS TAKEOFF BY MOUNTING A CAMERA IN THE TAKEOFF AREA. THE PLT AGREED, BUT ELECTED TO USE THE TAXIWAY (TWY) TO FILM THE TAKEOFF. THE CAMERA WAS MOUNTED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TWY. AFTER THE PLT TOOK OFF OVER THE CAMERA, HE TURNED BACK & FLEW ACROSS THE ARPT AT A RELATIVELY LOW ALT. THE ACFT THEN ENTERED A STEEP CLIMBING TURN. ONE WITNESS SAID THE PLT THEN 'EXECUTED THE ONE-HALF ROLL TO THE RIGHT TO UPSIDE DOWN, TURN BACK AND DOWN . . . PARALLELTO THE LARGE RUNWAY.' SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT CRASHED ON THE RUNWAY & BEGAN BURNING. IT WAS DEMOLISHED BY IMPACT & FIRE.NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WERE FOUND DRG THE INVESTIGATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

POOR JUDGEMENT BY THE PILOT BY BUZZING THE AIRPORT AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE/CLEARANCE ABOVE THE TERRAIN. THE PILOT'S USE OF ABRUPT MANEUVERS WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/6/1989
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1730
Event Time Zone --
Event City TANACROSS
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99776
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TANACROSS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TSG
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 1549
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 Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
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) 29
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1061
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 6 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39338
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:02PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4838C
NTSB Number ANC89FA160
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 185
Aircraft Series Identifier 185
Aircraft Serial Number 18502606
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 9 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 87
Airframe Hours 2978
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name 40 MILE AIR, LTD
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 539
Aircraft Owner City TOK
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99780
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WARBELOW, CHARLES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 539
Operator City TOK
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99760
Operator Code 6M
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code TSG
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1730
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TJK
Destination City TOK
Destination State AK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 12
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --