Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Skwentna, Alaska 99667
Monday, September 15, 2003 14:00 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The private certificated pilot was landing at a remote airstrip next to his cabin, which is located next to a river. The airstrip, positioned on a 260/080 degree magnetic orientation, is about 1,100 feet long and 100 feet wide. The threshold of runway 26 begins at the bank of the river. The pilot said that during the landing, the nose wheel struck the lip of the river bank. The airplane then nosed over, and received damage to the wings and fuselage.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's misjudgment of the distance/altitude to the touchdown point during landing, which resulted in an undershoot and collision with a river bank. A factor contributing to the accident was the presence of a river bank that formed the beginning of the runway threshold.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/15/2003
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone --
Event City Skwentna
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99667
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator --
On Ground Collision occurred ? --
Event Location Latitude 620500N
Event Location Longitude 1513030W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
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 200
Weather Briefing Completeness --
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 None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
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) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 15260
NTSB Notification Source FAA REGIONAL OPERATIONS CENTER
NTSB Notification Date Sep 15 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1520
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 28 2004 3:34PM
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 N3386U
NTSB Number ANC03LA116
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 182
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18254786
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
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 Apr 29 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 80
Airframe Hours 3802
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Ronnie D. Sayer
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Eagle River
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99577
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 No
Departure Airport Code PAMR
Departure City Anchorage
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1315
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Skwentna
Destination State AK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 27 2004 2:52PM
User who most recently changed record PETL
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 26
Runway Length 1100
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --