Merrill Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Anchorage, Alaska 99502
Friday, September 28, 2001 13:45 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The private certificated pilot/owner was landing a tailwheel-equipped experimental/homebuilt airplane. He was seated in the front seat, and a pilot rated passenger was seated in the rear seat. During the landing roll, the airplane began to skid to the right and then departed the right edge of the paved runway. The left main landing gear assembly separated from the fuselage, and the left wing struck the ground. The wing had wrinkling of the upper metal surface at the outboard end, sustaining damage to the rear spar and wing ribs.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control and an inadvertent ground loop/swerve during the landing roll.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/28/2001
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1345
Event Time Zone --
Event City ANCHORAGE
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99502
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 611252N
Event Location Longitude 1495046W
Event Location Airport MERRILL FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PAMR
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 137
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1440 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID PAMR
Elevation of weather observation facility 137
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 334
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.58
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) 11947
NTSB Notification Source FAA REGIONAL OPERATIONS CENTER
NTSB Notification Date Sep 28 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 2 2002 4:28PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA-AL-ANC FSDO 03

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N69UP
NTSB Number ANC01LA150
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 SLEPCEV
Aircraft Model STORCH SS-MK4
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 052
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DENNIS G. COX
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City BARROW
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99723
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code PAMR
Departure City ANCHORAGE
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 Landing - roll
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 3 2002 6:13PM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 24
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --