Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kenai, Alaska 99611
Saturday, July 12, 2008 11:00 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot departed on a local personal flight in an amphibious, float-equipped experimental airplane with two passengers. About 40 minutes after takeoff, the burning wreckage of the airplane was spotted by overflying aircraft. The airplane was built by the pilot from a kit, and was designed by the kit manufacturer to have two side-by-side seats in the cockpit. A large cargo area was behind the two front seats. According to a neighbor, the accident airplane was equipped with a third seat, designed and built by the pilot. The third seat was installed in the cargo area and was designed to fold up for use, and was equipped with a seat belt. The only passenger access to the third seat would have been from the cockpit. The kit manufacturer indicated that several builders have designed and built a third seat in the cargo compartment area of their respective airplanes. These seats had been individually designed, as there were no after-market or third-party suppliers of rear seats for the airplane. No maintenance records or construction build records were located for the airplane. No weight and balance data for the airplane was located. According to the manufacturer, the airplane's gross weight was 2,100 pounds if equipped with floats. A calculation of the airplane's estimated weight done by the Safety Board's Investigator-In-Charge, came to an estimated 2,110 pounds without any inclusion of fuel, which indicated that the airplane was overgross at the time of the accident. The airplane appeared to have collided with the ground in a left-wing- and nose-low attitude, an indication of an aerodynamic stall. The airplane was destroyed by a postcrash fire. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions were found during an examination of the wreckage. An examination of data from a GPS receiver found at the crash site revealed that just prior to the accident the airplane was in a descending left turn, having lost 273 feet in the last 6 seconds before impact.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during maneuvering flight, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and uncontrolled descent to the ground. Contributing to the accident was the airplane's overgross weight condition.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/12/2008
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1100
Event Time Zone --
Event City Kenai
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99611
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 605242N
Event Location Longitude 1520454W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1050 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 200
Weather Observation Facility ID PALV
Elevation of weather observation facility 39
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 6000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.1
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 25075
NTSB Notification Source FAA Regional Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date Jul 12 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 20 2009 9:58PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA-AL-ANC FSDO 03

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N212DR
NTSB Number ANC08FA087
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Iversen
Aircraft Model Glastar SH-4
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 5017
Certified Max Gross Weight 2100
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 1 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Thomas M. Iversen
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Kenai
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99611
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Thomas M. Iversen
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Kenai
Operator State AK
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 99611
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Kenai
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1030
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 USA
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 20 2009 9:57PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --