Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Indian Mountain Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Utopia, Alaska 99685
Wednesday, December 15, 2004 11:15 AST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airline transport pilot was landing a twin engine airplane to the west on a 4,100 foot long, snow-covered gravel runway. The airport is surrounded by mountains, except to the east, requiring that arriving aircraft use the westerly runway, and departing aircraft use the easterly runway. Prior to landing, the pilot reported winds to be out of the east at 17 knots, with peak gusts to 29 knots. In an attempt to avoid turbulence while on approach, he selected a touchdown point that was about midpoint on the runway. Just before touchdown, a strong gust of wind lifted the airplane, and carried it further down the runway than the anticipated touchdown point. Without room to complete a successful go-around, the pilot landed the airplane on the remaining runway, and applied heavy braking action. The airplane overran the end of the runway, and struck a snow bank, sustaining structural damage to the fuselage. The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's misjudged distance/speed while on final approach to land, which resulted in an overrun during the landing roll. Factors associated with the accident are the pilot's inadequate weather evaluation, and a gusty tailwind.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/15/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1115 |
| Event Time Zone | Atlantic Standard Time |
| Event City | Utopia |
| Event State | ALASKA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 99685 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 655934N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1534215W |
| Event Location Airport | Indian Mountain Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | PAIM |
| 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 | 1220 |
| 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) | -- |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 70 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 17 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 29 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 18721 |
| NTSB Notification Source | ANC FAA, ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 15 2004 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 | Fairbanks FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N792FC |
| NTSB Number | ANC05LA068 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-31-350 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 31-7552108 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 7368 |
| 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 | 8 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | AAIP |
| Date of Last Inspection | Dec 1 2004 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 22.8 |
| Airframe Hours | 25732.5 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Snobow, Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | P.O. Box 60649 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Fairbanks |
| Aircraft Owner State | AK |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 99706 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | WARBELOWS AIR VENTURES INC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | P.O. Box 60649 |
| Operator City | Fairbanks |
| Operator State | AK |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 99706 |
| Operator Code | WVBA |
| Owner has at least one certificate | -- |
| 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 | Non-scheduled |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | Domestic |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Passenger Only |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | FAI |
| Departure City | Fairbanks |
| Departure State | AK |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1006 |
| Departure Time Zone | AST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | UTO |
| Destination City | Utopia |
| 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 20 2005 2:03PM |
| User who most recently changed record | PETL |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 24 |
| Runway Length | 4100 |
| Runway Width | 120 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |