Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Montana Creek, Alaska 99688
Saturday, March 5, 2011 16:15 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot, he was flying from one airport to another using a highway as a reference. He saw an airport that he thought was his destination airport and made a straight-in approach for landing. Just before touching down, he realized that he was not landing at the correct airport and instead was landing on a snow-covered and unplowed private airstrip. He realized that he did not have time to go around and landed on the snow. The airplane crossed a snow machine track and nosed over. The engine firewall and both wings sustained substantial damage.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to recognize that he was landing at the wrong airstrip on a snow-covered and unplowed runway, resulting in the airplane nosing over.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/5/2011
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1615
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City Montana Creek
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99688
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 620233N
Event Location Longitude 1500433W
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 1553 Atlantic Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID PATK
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
Time Zone of the weather observation AST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
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) 29.97
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR PATK 060053Z 21003KT 10SM CLR M02/M20 A2997
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) 28290
NTSB Notification Source FAA Regional 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 Mar 29 2011 3:36PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N447AF
NTSB Number ANC11CA014
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172R
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17280447
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
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 --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type C126
Aircraft Owner Name ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE AERO CLUB
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3SVS/SVRA PO BOX 292
Aircraft Owner City ELMENDORF AFB
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99506
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE AERO CLUB
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 3SVS/SVRA 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 PATK
Departure City Talkeetna
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PAUO
Destination City Willow
Destination State AK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 29 2011 3:36PM
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 --