Homer Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Homer, Alaska 99603
Sunday, October 18, 1987 9:20 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE WEATHER BETWEEN HOMER AND ANCHORAGE INCLUDED MARGINAL CONDITIONS ALONG SEGMENTS OF THE ROUTE. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT RATED PILOT WAS ENCOURAGED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AN OFFER TO TRAVEL BY AUTOMOBILE AND STILL ARRIVE IN TIME FOR A COMMITMENT IN ANCHORAGE. HE DECLINED AND DEPARTED HOMER WITH HIS WIFE AND INFANT CHILD IN HIS AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE CRASHED ABOUT 17 MILES FROM THE VOR. THE WX AT THE SCENE WAS REPORTED BY PLTS ALERTED TO THE ACC BY THE ELT. EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE INDICATED A SPIN TYPE MANEUVER WITH MINIMAL ROTATION AT IMPACT. NO PRE-IMPACT DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED. THERE WAS FUEL IN THE RT TANK AND THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS ON THIS TANK.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/18/1987
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 920
Event Time Zone --
Event City HOMER
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99603
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HOMER
Event Location Nearest Airport ID HUM
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 954 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 230
Weather Observation Facility ID HOM
Elevation of weather observation facility 78
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2134
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 18 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1818
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35724
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:53PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Unknown
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4193Z
NTSB Number ANC88FA011
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-18
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-18
Aircraft Serial Number 188380
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 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 Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES WESLEY LANDES
Aircraft Owner Street Address APT 37 276 S BENSEN
Aircraft Owner City UPLAND
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98716
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JAMES W. LANDES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address APT 37 - 276 S BENSEN
Operator City UPLAND
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 98716
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 HOM
Departure City HOMER
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 849
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code Z41
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 --