Nellie Martin River Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Montague Island, Alaska 99664
Tuesady, August 25, 1987 13:00 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT WAS MAKING AN APCH FOR A SOFT/SHORT FIELD LANDING AT A STRIP WHICH PARALLELED THE OCEAN SHORELINE ON MONTAGUE ISLAND. HE STATED THAT WHEN HE CAME IN TO LAND, HE MISJUDGED THE HEIGHT & POSITION OF BUSHES NR THE APCH END OF THE STRIP. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT HIT THE TOPS OF BUSHES JUST SHORT OF THE LNDG AREA. THE LIFT STRUTS, TIPS OF THE PROP, LEADING EDGES OF THE WINGS & ELEVATORS WERE DAMAGED DRG THE OCCURRENCE. THE PLT RPRTD THE WIND WAS FROM 090 DEG AT 5 TO 10 KTS. A PLT/OPERATOR RPRT SHOWED THE LANDING STRIP WAS ORIENTED ON AN ESE HEADING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/25/1987
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone --
Event City MONTAGUE ISLAND
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99664
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport NELLIE MARTIN RIVER
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 25
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
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 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
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) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1642
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 28 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34848
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:41PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3842M
NTSB Number ANC87LA129
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-12
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-12
Aircraft Serial Number 12-2753
Certified Max Gross Weight 1838
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 18 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 24
Airframe Hours 2787
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RANDALL WELLINGTON KNAUFF
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4257 CHARING CROSS CIRCLE
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99504
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 MRI
Departure City ANCHORAGE
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1145
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 11
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --