Na Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tuluksak, Alaska 99679
Tuesady, September 22, 2009 17:00 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The private pilot stated that he was on a Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal cross-country flight, and was attempting to land at a remote off-airport site adjacent to a creek. He said in a written statement to the NTSB that he flew over the site to inspect it prior to landing. He said he was on final approach to land when the airplane started to sink, landed hard, and he aborted the landing by applying power to takeoff. The next thing he says he recalls is waking up in the creek near the landing site. The pilot noted in his written statement that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane, and thought he had encountered a downdraft. In a later conversation with an NTSB investigator, he reported that friends who recovered the airplane saw glass fragments from the left wing's navigation lights on the runway, perhaps indicating the left main landing gear had collapsed on touchdown. The pilot said he had no recollection of this occurring, but said it was possible. The airplane was further damaged when it was dropped from a helicopter during the recovery flight.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A loss of control for an undetermined reason during the takeoff portion of an aborted landing at an off-airport site, resulting in a collision with terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/22/2009
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone --
Event City Tuluksak
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99679
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 604417N
Event Location Longitude 1593440W
Event Location Airport NA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NA
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 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 --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 26311
NTSB Notification Source 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 Apr 6 2010 11:04AM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N55XP
NTSB Number ANC09CA106
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 RITTAL ALFRED TIMOTHY
Aircraft Model GLASTAR
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 5408
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
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 C91-A
Aircraft Owner Name RITTAL ALFRED TIMOTHY
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99502-4112
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name RITTAL ALFRED TIMOTHY
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City ANCHORAGE
Operator State AK
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 99502-4112
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 --
Departure City Anchorage
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code NA
Destination City Tuluksak
Destination State AK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 10 2009 11:09AM
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 --