Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tok, Alaska 99780
Tuesady, August 6, 2002 14:00 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that he was making a low pass to examine a sand bar as a potential landing site. He said he intentionally rolled the main wheels on the surface of the sand bar to determine its suitability. As he touched down, the airplane's left wing hit willows alongside the sand bar. He said he initiated a climb, but collided with trees at a slow airspeed about 35 feet above the ground, and the airplane fell to the ground.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain and trees during a low pass to examine a potential landing site.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/6/2002
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone --
Event City Tok
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99780
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 530448N
Event Location Longitude 1441354W
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 1253 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID PAOR
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 6500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
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) 29.73
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 13034
NTSB Notification Source Pilot
NTSB Notification Date Aug 6 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1515
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 29 2003 4:26PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Fairbanks FSDO-01

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4122E
NTSB Number ANC02LA092
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-18-150
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18-7809074
Certified Max Gross Weight 2000
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 Aug 27 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 40
Airframe Hours 3636
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Charles Rhodes
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Tok
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99780
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Charles R. Rhodes
Operator Same as Owner? No
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 No
Departure Airport Code PATJ
Departure City Tok
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 Other
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Feb 7 2003 2:45PM
User who most recently changed record PETL
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --