Merill Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Anchorage, Alaska 99513
Sunday, May 29, 2005 16:50 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While conducting a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, the commercial certificated pilot said the air traffic control tower cleared him to land on runway 24, and advised the wind direction was 120 degrees at 5 knots. He said he used full flaps, and during the landing roll, the airplane ground-looped to the left. The pilot said he felt the wind was stronger than reported. No special weather observation was taken at the time of the accident, but the regular observation, taken at 1653, reported the wind as 190 at 8 knots, with gusts to 15 knots. According to the pilot, there were no known mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident. The airplane's right wing and aileron received structural damage during the ground-loop. In a written report to the NTSB dated July 8, the pilot indicated that he failed to use the proper crosswind landing techniques.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate compensation for gusting wind conditions during landing, which resulted in a ground-loop, and structural damage to the airplane. Factors associated with the accident were a ground-loop, and wind gusts.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/29/2005
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1650
Event Time Zone --
Event City Anchorage
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99513
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 611249N
Event Location Longitude 1495040W
Event Location Airport Merill Field
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MRI
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 137
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1653 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID PAMR
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 13000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 15
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.87
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) 18867
NTSB Notification Source FAA Anchorage, ROC
NTSB Notification Date Jun 1 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jan 31 2006 7:35AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Anchorage, FSDO-03

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4533B
NTSB Number ANC05LA086
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 None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 180
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 31432
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 1 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2785
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name William B. Hastie
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Anchorage
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99515
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 PAMR
Departure City Anchorage
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1550
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - roll
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 2 2005 3:25PM
User who most recently changed record PETL
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 24
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --