Soldotna Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Soldotna, Alaska 99611
Sunday, May 5, 2013 14:30 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The flight instructor was providing primary flight instruction to a student pilot in a tailwheel-equipped airplane. The instructor reported that when the student pilot departed from the 5,000-foot-long, dry, paved runway, the airplane drifted to the right just after becoming airborne. Unable to correct the drift, the airplane continued off the right side of the runway, and over an area of grass-covered terrain. The instructor said that the student pilot then closed the engine throttle and switched the engine magnetos to the off position, and the airplane subsequently landed hard on the right main landing gear wheel. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. A postaccident examination of the airplane did not reveal any preaccident mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operations.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the student pilot during takeoff, which resulted in a loss of control.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/5/2013
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone --
Event City Soldotna
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99611
Event Date Year 2013
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 602829N
Event Location Longitude 1510217W
Event Location Airport Soldotna Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PASX
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
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 1436 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID PASX
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.1
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) 31487
NTSB Notification Source FAA Alaska ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 27 2013 1:52PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4772M
NTSB Number ANC13CA043
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-11
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 11-287
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 Nov 1 2012 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2492
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C91-A
Aircraft Owner Name Jay Sjogren
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Soldotna
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99611-9442
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Allen Goss
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Kenai
Operator State AK
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 99611
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code PASX
Departure City Soldotna
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code PASX
Destination City Soldotna
Destination State AK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 28 2013 3:30PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 07
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 132
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --