Grasshopper Valley Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Palmer, Alaska 99645
Saturday, May 7, 2005 12:30 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The private certificated pilot was landing on a remote airstrip that was about 500 feet long and 60 feet wide. He said he flew several passes over the airstrip, and touched down toward the southeast. The airplane bounced slightly and floated, and when it touched down again, he applied full engine power to abort the landing. He said the airplane did not seem to want to fly, and he pulled the engine power to idle and applied the brakes. The airplane overran the end of the strip, into an area of brush, encountered soft terrain, and nosed over. The airplane received structural damage to the right wing lift strut and windshield. After the accident, the pilot reported that the wind appeared calm, but he thought that he may have encountered a slight tailwind during the landing.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's misjudged distance and speed, which resulted in an overrun during the landing roll, and subsequent nose over. Factors contributing to the accident were a tailwind and a short landing area.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/7/2005
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone --
Event City Palmer
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99645
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator --
On Ground Collision occurred ? --
Event Location Latitude 612602N
Event Location Longitude 1481757W
Event Location Airport Grasshopper Valley
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 800
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
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) 30.14
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) 18723
NTSB Notification Source FAA Regional Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date May 7 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Dec 20 2005 6:27AM
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 N37209
NTSB Number ANC05LA073
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Interstate
Aircraft Model S-1A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 52
Certified Max Gross Weight 1450
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 1 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Bob G. Clay
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 --
Departure City Wasilla
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Palmer
Destination State AK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - roll
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 27 2005 1:53PM
User who most recently changed record PETL
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length 500
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --