Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Palmer, Alaska 99645
Monday, July 12, 2010 15:00 AKD
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot stated that he had flown over the Knik Glacier before, but he had been solo at the time and this was his first time with passengers. He approached the glacier at 1,500 feet mean sea level (msl) and initiated a climb. He noticed that the airplane's performance was degraded compared to his previous crossings, and he attributed it to the extra weight of his two passengers; however, he believed he would still make it over the glacier. At the 8,000 feet msl he noticed that he was much closer to the glacier than he expected and decided to turn back. He started a right turn, but the airplane was too low and slow and began to stall. First the right wing tip hit the snow, then the left wing tip hit before the the airplane nosed into the snow and over. The pilot and passengers egressed from the inverted airplane and were rescued about an hour later.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's decision to fly towards rising terrain that exceeded the climb capability of the airplane.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/12/2010 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1500 |
| Event Time Zone | -- |
| Event City | Palmer |
| Event State | ALASKA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 99645 |
| Event Date Year | 2010 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 612200N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1481800W |
| 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 Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 283 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PAAQ |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 242 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 34 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | ADT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 21 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 10 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 180 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| 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) | 27412 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 6 2010 3:22PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N6594D |
| NTSB Number | ANC10CA060 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | CESSNA |
| Aircraft Model | 172N |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 17272883 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2550 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 1 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 3 |
| 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 | Apr 15 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 7019 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Yes |
| ELT Type | C126 |
| Aircraft Owner Name | UNITED STATES AIR FORCE OWNER |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | PO BOX 292 |
| Aircraft Owner City | ELMENDORF AFB |
| Aircraft Owner State | AK |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 99506 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | UNITED STATES AIR FORCE OWNER |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | PO BOX 292 |
| Operator City | ELMENDORF AFB |
| Operator State | AK |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 99506 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | PEDF |
| Departure City | Elmendorf AFB |
| Departure State | AK |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1410 |
| Departure Time Zone | ADT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | PEDF |
| Destination City | Elemdorf AFB |
| Destination State | AK |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 6 2010 3:22PM |
| 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 | -- |