Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fairbanks, Alaska 99709
Wednesday, August 29, 2001 13:00 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The private certificated pilot was departing toward the north from a remote area that was about 700 feet long and 40 feet wide. The pilot said he had utilized the area for landing in the past. The terrain below the takeoff area had several trees, and then an open area of tall grass. The pilot said the airplane lifted off the ground during the takeoff run, but then seemed to "mush" downward. He lowered the nose of the airplane but the left wing collided with a tree about 20 feet above the ground. The pilot then pulled the engine power off, and the airplane descended into the area of grass. During the touchdown, the left main landing gear strut was displaced aft from its attach point at the fuselage.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadvertent stall/mush during the initial climb after takeoff, and subsequent in-flight collision with a tree.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/29/2001
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone --
Event City FAIRBANKS
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99709
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 641546N
Event Location Longitude 1472959W
Event Location Airport --
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1353 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 315
Weather Observation Facility ID PAFA
Elevation of weather observation facility 434
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 35
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.51
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 11417
NTSB Notification Source FAA REGIONAL OPERATIONS CENTER
NTSB Notification Date Aug 29 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1525
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Feb 20 2002 1:46PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA-AL-FAI FSDO 01

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4669C
NTSB Number ANC01LA128
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 170B
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 25613
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection 272
Airframe Hours 1194
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KENT E. OWENS
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 58621
Aircraft Owner City FAIRBANKS
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99711
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City FAIRBANKS
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - initial climb
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 29 2002 5:36PM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --