Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Talkeetna, Alaska 99676
Tuesady, July 2, 2002 14:00 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The private certificated pilot was searching for a lost hiker along a river drainage in a float-equipped airplane. The pilot said he was maneuvering between 500 to 1,000 feet above the ground and had encountered turbulence that was being produced in the canyons along the river. Just before the accident, the pilot said a strong gust of wind yawed the airplane sideways, and lifted the left wing. The airplane descended toward the ground. The pilot leveled the airplane just before the float assembly collided with alder bushes along the bank of the river. The airplane then did a cartwheel and came to rest facing opposite the initial direction of travel. The airplane received damage to the float assembly, fuselage, and wings.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate weather evaluation, which resulted in a turbulence encounter and subsequent collision with a river embankment during maneuvering flight. A contributing factor was the presence of terrain induced turbulence.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/2/2002
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone --
Event City TALKEETNA
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99676
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 622158N
Event Location Longitude 1493735W
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 Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1353 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 225
Weather Observation Facility ID PATK
Elevation of weather observation facility 358
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2300
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) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 176
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.03
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) 12714
NTSB Notification Source FAA REGIONAL OPERATIONS CENTER
NTSB Notification Date Jul 2 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 1 2003 4:20PM
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 N1129A
NTSB Number ANC02LA067
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 Piper
Aircraft Model PA-18
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18-722
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 5 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 76
Airframe Hours 3391
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM J. FITZGERALD
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City TALKEETNA
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99676
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 TALKEETNA
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1215
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 Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 9 2002 2:09PM
User who most recently changed record PETL
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --