Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Northway, Alaska 99764
Saturday, August 9, 2008 14:30 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was landing a tailwheel-equipped airplane at an off airport site, adjacent to a small stream. He said that he approached the site from an upstream direction, and during touchdown the airplane landed hard, bounced, and he aborted the landing. During the second landing, he approached the site from a downstream direction, and during the landing roll, he discovered that the airplane's tailwheel was missing. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. In his written report to the NTSB the pilot noted that after landing, he discovered that there was a slight breeze from an upstream direction. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. In the recommendation part of his written report, the pilot noted that the accident might have been prevented if he had taken more time to verify runway and wind conditions before landing, and operated the airplane at a lower gross weight.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate evaluation of weather conditions while landing, which resulted in a hard landing. A factor contributing to the accident was a tailwind.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/9/2008
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone --
Event City Northway
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99764
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 621300N
Event Location Longitude 1412400W
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 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 3400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
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) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.78
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 24655
NTSB Notification Source ANC FAA, ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2008 11:03AM
User who most recently changed record stam
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2975Q
NTSB Number ANC08CA103
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELLANCA
Aircraft Model 8GCBC
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 346-80
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 1
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 1
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 Feb 12 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3141
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WORKER TIMOTHY M
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City FAIRBANKS
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99708-4655
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name WORKER TIMOTHY M
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Fairbanks
Operator State AK
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 99708
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 --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ORT
Departure City Northway
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1355
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Northway
Destination State AK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2008 11:03AM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --