Gravel Bar Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Stony River, Alaska 99557
Thursday, September 14, 1989 13:30 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE HIT A LARGE ROCK WHILE LANDING ON A GRAVEL BAR, CAUSING THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR TO COLLAPSE, AND THE LEFT WING TO HIT THE GROUND. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT RAIN ON THE WINDSHIELD PREVENTED HIM FROM SEEING THE ROCK IN TIME TO AVOID HITTING IT. HE ALSO STATED THAT SOMEONE HAD SABOTAGED THE LANDING AREA BY PUTTING NUMEROUS ROCKS THERE, TO DISCOURAGE OTHER HUNTERS FROM USING THE AREA.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PILOT'S FAILURE TO ENSURE THAT HIS LANDING AREA WAS PROPERLY CLEAR PRIOR TO LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/14/1989
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone --
Event City STONY RIVER
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99557
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 GRAVEL BAR
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 1800
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 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Moderate
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) 989
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 15 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1155
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39151
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 N62RT
NTSB Number ANC89LA164
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-18
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-18
Aircraft Serial Number 18-7609038
Certified Max Gross Weight 1800
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 --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name REXFORD L. TURNER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P. O. BOX 3489
Operator City PALMER
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99645
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
Departure City PALMER
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1030
Departure Time Zone ADT
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 0
Runway Length 900
Runway Width 30
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --