Fairbanks Int'l Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fairbanks, Alaska 99701
Friday, November 27, 1987 15:43 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT AND HIS TWO PASSENGERS WERE RETURNING FROM A HUNTING TRIP WHEN THE AIRPLANE CRASHED 7 MILES FROM THE FAIRBANKS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE GROUND IN A VERTICAL ATTITUDE AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. EVIDENCE AT THE SCENE SUGGESTS THAT THE LEFT WHEEL PENETRATION SKI HAD DEFLECTED INFLIGHT JUST PRIOR TO THE CRASH. OTHER PILOTS WHO HAVE HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH THIS TYPE OF SKI REPORT THE DEFLECTION TO BE ACCOMPANIED BY A VIOLENT PITCH DOWN OF THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT HAD NOT COMPLIED WITH AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE DATED MAY 12, 1980, THAT THE SKIS BE MODIFIED TO PRECLUDE JUST SUCH AN OCCURRENCE. ADDITIONALLY, THE PILOT HAD KNOWLEDGE OF, AND FAILED TO REMOVE, 3 TENT POLES WHICH HAD FALLEN BEHIND THE AFT BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT. ONE OF THESE POLES AND THE ELEVATOR BELLCRANK ASSEMBLY SHOWED SIGNS OF INTERFERRENCE THAT INDICATED CONTROL BINDING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/27/1987
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1543
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City FAIRBANKS
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99701
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FAIRBANKS INT'L
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FAI
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 7
Degrees magnetic from airport 229
Airport Elevation 434
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
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 Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 6000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -17
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) --
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1717
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 13 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1725
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35063
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:58PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4056Y
NTSB Number ANC88FA021
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 185
Aircraft Series Identifier 185
Aircraft Serial Number 1850256
Certified Max Gross Weight 3200
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 15 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 82
Airframe Hours 2350
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BERTON W. DUNCAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 58430
Aircraft Owner City NORTH POLE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99705
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FAI
Destination City FAIRBANKS
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 --