Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
North Pole Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
North Pole, Alaska 99705
Friday, March 21, 2003 16:30 AST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The flight instructor was providing primary flight instruction to the student pilot in a wheel-equipped airplane. The instructor pilot reported that just after takeoff from runway 15, about 100 feet above the runway, the airplane's engine began to run rough and lose power, and emergency engine procedures did not restore engine power. The airplane subsequently collided with a stand of trees at the departure end of the runway, and sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. An FAA inspector who inspected the airplane reported finding no preaccident mechanical anomalies. The student pilot reported to the FAA inspector that prior to the accident takeoff, just after starting the airplane's engine, the instructor pilot leaned the fuel mixture and applied full carburetor heat during the 15 to 20 minute engine warm-up time. He said that after the engine was warm, they taxied to the departure end of the runway, and started their takeoff roll, with the mixture control and carburetor heat in the same position. He reported that just after takeoff the engine began to run rough, and lose power. He added that the instructor pilot then took control of the airplane, pushed in the carburetor heat control (off), and all engine power was lost. The student pilot reported that immediately following the accident, both pilots noticed that the mixture control was still in the lean position.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The flight instructor's improper usage of the airplane's fuel mixture control, resulting in a loss of engine power during takeoff.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/21/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1630 |
| Event Time Zone | Atlantic Standard Time |
| Event City | North Pole |
| Event State | ALASKA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 99705 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | -- |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | -- |
| Event Location Latitude | 644500N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1472300W |
| Event Location Airport | North Pole |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 95Z |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0.25 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 150 |
| Airport Elevation | 483 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Pilot |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | -- |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 5 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -17 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| 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) | 13736 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Fairbanks, Alaska FSDO-01 |
| NTSB Notification Date | Mar 25 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1000 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 26 2003 8:06AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Fairbanks FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N4123X |
| NTSB Number | ANC03LA035 |
| 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 | Aero Commander |
| Aircraft Model | 100 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 222 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2250 |
| 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 | Jul 12 2002 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 24 |
| Airframe Hours | 2023 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Leo A. Regner |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | P.O.Box 72733 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Fairbanks |
| Aircraft Owner State | AK |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 99707 |
| 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) | Instructional |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | 95Z |
| Departure City | North Pole |
| Departure State | AK |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1630 |
| Departure Time Zone | AST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | 95Z |
| Destination City | North Pole |
| Destination State | AK |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff - initial climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 24 2003 6:57PM |
| User who most recently changed record | PETL |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 15 |
| Runway Length | 3400 |
| Runway Width | 80 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |