Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Healy, Alaska 99743
Tuesady, August 29, 2006 20:45 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The private pilot was conducting a Title 14, CFR Part 91 personal flight with two passengers in an area of mountainous terrain. He reported that while maneuvering in an area of rising terrain, he realized that he was too low, and initiated a climb. Unable to out-climb the rising terrain, he selected a forced landing site. The airplane sustained structural damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. In his written report to the NTSB, the pilot indicated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane, but noted that carburetor icing may have been present at the time of the accident. The pilot reported that weather conditions at the time of the accident were, in part: Wind, 180 degrees at 10 knots; visibility, greater than 50 miles; ceiling and cloud conditions, clear; and temperature, 50 degrees F.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate altitude/clearance while maneuvering, which resulted in an in-flight collision with terrain. Factors associated with the accident were rising terrain, and the pilot's low altitude flight.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/29/2006
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 2045
Event Time Zone --
Event City Healy
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99743
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 635800N
Event Location Longitude 1485800W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Unknown
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 --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 20850
NTSB Notification Source ANC FAA, ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jan 31 2007 9:40AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5375R
NTSB Number ANC06CA127
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 Cessna
Aircraft Model 172
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17263527
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Arctic Flying Club
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. Box 72772
Aircraft Owner City Fairbanks
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99707
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Bruce A. Carter
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. Box 48
Operator City Healy
Operator State AK
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 99743
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 No
Departure Airport Code HVI
Departure City Healy
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 2030
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 Climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 5 2006 1:23PM
User who most recently changed record LABJ
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --