Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Talkeetna, Alaska 99676
Wednesday, August 25, 2010 20:00 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The private pilot was on a personal cross country flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91. The pilot said he had fueled the airplane prior to take off, but the indications of the electric fuel gauges made him believe the airplane was losing fuel. He thought the airplane would not make it to the nearest airport, and he elected to make a precautionary landing on a state highway, which was the only suitable landing site in the remote area. He said both fuel gauges were reading empty, and traffic on the road made him land farther down the road than anticipated. During the landing roll, the left wing struck a road sign. He said the airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing, elevator, and right wing.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A faulty fuel quantity indication in-flight, which precipitated a precautionary off-airport landing, and collision with a road sign.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/25/2010
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 2000
Event Time Zone --
Event City Talkeetna
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99676
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 622937N
Event Location Longitude 1501724W
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 --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
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) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.04
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) 27728
NTSB Notification Source FAA Anchorage, 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 28 2010 6:12PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5114H
NTSB Number ANC10CA079
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-14
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 14-120
Certified Max Gross Weight 1900
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 1 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4900
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name WASCHE KENNETH M
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99507
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name WASCHE KENNETH M
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 99507
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 PATW
Departure City Cantwell
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PAMR
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 Oct 28 2010 6:12PM
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 --