Lake Hood Airstrip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Anchorage, Alaska 99502
Monday, December 8, 2003 8:56 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The solo private certificated pilot was landing a wheel-equipped airplane during dark night light conditions. The pilot reported that while landing on a lighted, 2,200 foot long by 70 foot wide snow-covered, gravel airstrip, he inadvertently touched down in the overrun area, about 50 feet short of the runway's threshold. As the airplane's main wheels touched down in the deep snow that covered the overrun area, the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained structural damage to the rudder.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's misjudged altitude during final approach, which resulted in an undershot landing, and subsequent nose over.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/8/2003
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 856
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City Anchorage
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99502
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator --
On Ground Collision occurred ? --
Event Location Latitude 611122N
Event Location Longitude 1495700W
Event Location Airport Lake Hood Airstrip
Event Location Nearest Airport ID Z41
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 --
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 Night
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -5
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
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 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) 15807
NTSB Notification Source ANC FAA, ROC
NTSB Notification Date Dec 8 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 920
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 29 2004 7:30AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Anchorage FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N44047
NTSB Number ANC04LA013
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 Taylorcraft
Aircraft Model BC12-D
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 9847
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Sep 22 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 29.1
Airframe Hours 6501.1
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Hermann & Heddi Ruess
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2641 Melvin Avenue
Aircraft Owner City Anchorage
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99517
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 Z41
Departure City Anchorage
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 853
Departure Time Zone AST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code Z41
Destination City --
Destination State AK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Approach - VFR pattern - final approach
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jun 4 2004 1:37PM
User who most recently changed record PETL
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 31
Runway Length 2200
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --