Kalmbach Strip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wasilla, Alaska 99687
Friday, October 15, 2004 13:00 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The private certificated pilot was making a left turn from a base leg entry to the final approach course for landing. The pilot indicated that during the turn, he was about 100 feet above ground level (agl) and over the threshold of the airstrip. He said that he added engine power to arrest his descent, but the engine rpm did not respond for about 3 to 4 seconds. Within that time period, the airplane stalled and descended to the ground. He leveled the wings before runway contact, and the airplane collided with the runway surface in a wings-level attitude. The main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane received damage to the left wing lift struts, the left wingtip, and the propeller.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the landing approach, which resulted in a stall and an uncontrolled descent to the runway. A factor contributing to the accident was an inadvertent stall.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/15/2004
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone --
Event City Wasilla
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99687
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 613610N
Event Location Longitude 1493430W
Event Location Airport Kalmbach Strip
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 43AK
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 --
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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
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) 17076
NTSB Notification Source
NTSB Notification Date Oct 15 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1402
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jan 27 2005 3:52PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9146D
NTSB Number ANC05CA007
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 --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-18
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18-6536
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Paul G. smith
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 --
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code PAWS
Departure City Wasilla
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 43AK
Destination City Wasilla
Destination State AK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Approach - VFR pattern - final approach
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record --
User who most recently changed record --
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 03
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --