Wasilla Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wasilla, Alaska 99687
Saturday, August 7, 2004 17:30 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The private certificated pilot was landing with a left crosswind. At touchdown, the airplane veered to the right and departed off the right side of the runway. The airplane then collided with a ditch, and the right main landing gear strut was torn off the airplane. The airplane received structural damage to the landing gear, fuselage, and the right wing.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to compensate for a crosswind during landing and his failure to maintain directional control, which resulted in a loss of control and collision with a ditch. A factor contributing to the accident was a crosswind.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/7/2004
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1730
Event Time Zone --
Event City Wasilla
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99687
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator --
On Ground Collision occurred ? --
Event Location Latitude 613418N
Event Location Longitude 1493225W
Event Location Airport Wasilla
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PAWS
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 354
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 None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 25
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) 17244
NTSB Notification Source FAA Regional Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date Aug 8 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1320
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Feb 24 2005 9:13AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA-AL-ANC FSDO 03

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N61609
NTSB Number ANC04LA090
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 185F
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18504235
Certified Max Gross Weight 3333
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 Dec 4 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 1847
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name George F. Kalmbach
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Wasilla
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99687
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 BGQ
Departure City Big Lake
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1500
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code PAWS
Destination City Wasilla
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 --
User who most recently changed record --
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 21
Runway Length 3700
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --