Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Anchorage, Alaska 99502
Saturday, November 14, 2009 14:00 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The private pilot was taking off in a tundra tire-equipped airplane from a snow-covered off-airport site, on a Title 14, CFR Part 91 personal flight. He reported that during the takeoff roll the main wheels struck a snowdrift, and the airplane nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to the wings and wing lift struts. The pilot said there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane, and noted in his report to the NTSB that he should not have landed at the off-airport site with a wheel-equipped airplane. The pilot reported that after the accident he manually activated the airplane’s 406 MHz Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT), and within 20 minutes of doing so, he received a cell phone call from the airplane’s owner inquiring about the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's decision to land and attempt to takeoff from an unsuitable off-airport site.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/14/2009
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City Anchorage
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99502
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 603102N
Event Location Longitude 1504402W
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 1353 Atlantic Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID PALH
Elevation of weather observation facility 71
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation AST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 18000
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) -8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 28.7
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) 26508
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 Jan 14 2010 2:31PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3797Z
NTSB Number ANC10CA008
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-18-150
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18-7492
Certified Max Gross Weight 2000
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 19 2009 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 14
Airframe Hours 5668
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type C126
Aircraft Owner Name SCOTT L. MERRINER
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99507-7315
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name John C. Buller
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Anchorage
Operator State AK
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 99502
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 Anchorage
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone AST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PALH
Destination City Anchorage
Destination State AK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 14 2010 2:31PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --