Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Bettles Field, Alaska 99726
Monday, August 30, 2010 21:34 AKD
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that during the flight he observed smoke in the cockpit and smelled burning oil. He noted a rise in oil temperature, followed by a decrease in oil pressure, and an unusual vibration in the floorboards, control stick, and rudder. He elected to make a precautionary landing on a sandbar. He reported that on short final to the sandbar, he turned the fuel and electrical systems off, and that the propeller was windmilling. While landing, the left wingtip hit brush and the airplane veered to the left, at which point the right wingtip struck the ground. The airplane then nosed down and the propeller struck the sandbar. A postaccident examination revealed that the engine oil was at a normal level and did not smell burned; no evidence of leaks were found. The engine was removed from the airplane and successfully run on an engine test stand with no mechanical anomalies or leaks noted. An examination of the propeller showed aft bending and torsional twisting, with multiple leading edge gouges and chordwise scratching, consistent with the propeller being under power and striking the ground multiple times during the landing.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's selection of an unsuitable off-airport landing site for a precautionary landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/30/2010 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 2134 |
| Event Time Zone | -- |
| Event City | Bettles Field |
| Event State | ALASKA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 99726 |
| Event Date Year | 2010 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 672038N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1511316W |
| 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 | 2153 Atlantic Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 210 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PABT |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 647 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 35 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | ADT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 10000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| 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) | 16 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 2 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 360 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 2 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.77 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 28028 |
| NTSB Notification Source | U.S. Department of the Interio |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 4 2011 6:13PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N20HY |
| NTSB Number | ANC10TA080 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Public Use |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | AVIAT AIRCRAFT INC |
| Aircraft Model | A-1B |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 2001 |
| 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 | Jun 21 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 1903 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C126 |
| Aircraft Owner Name | UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 4405 LEAR CT |
| Aircraft Owner City | ANCHORAGE |
| Aircraft Owner State | AK |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 99502-1032 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | National Park Service |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Bettles field |
| Operator State | AK |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 99726 |
| 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) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | PACX |
| Departure City | Coldfoot |
| Departure State | AK |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 2030 |
| Departure Time Zone | ADT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | PABT |
| Destination City | Bettles Field |
| Destination State | AK |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 4 2011 6:14PM |
| 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 | -- |