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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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NTSB Report

September 5, 1998 · Cessna 170B · N4368M

Port Alsworth, AK

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
September 5, 1998
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (1 uninjured)
Location
Port Alsworth, AK
Aircraft
Cessna 170B
Tail Number
N4368M
Operator
Craig M Dominick
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
ANC98LA142

The solo student pilot was on a cross country training flight. He stated that the airplane had been experiencing symptoms of carburetor ice, so he decided execute an off airport landing on a ridgetop gravel landing site to inspect the engine. The winds were light and variable. After landing, the tires hit a rut, he applied brakes, and the airplane nosed over. He indicated that fuel ran out of the tank vent, located just above the windscreen, and down over the engine. The airplane caught fire and was destroyed. The Emergency Locator Transmitter was consumed in the fire, and he was rescued the following day.

NTSB Probable Cause

The solo student pilot's excessive application of brakes during taxi from landing. Factors associated with the accident were the pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for a precautionary landing, rough terrain, and the fuel leak from the fuel tank vent.

Full Narrative

On September 5, 1998, about 1500 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna 170B airplane, N4368M, was destroyed when it nosed over during landing at an off airport landing site 40 miles northwest of Port Alsworth, Alaska. The solo student pilot was not injured. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 as a student solo cross country training flight. The flight departed from Nikiski, Alaska, about 1130, for Port Alsworth. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed. The pilot told the NTSB investigator-in-charge during a telephone interview on September 9, that during the flight he encountered repeated episodes of carburetor icing, which cleared up with application of carburetor heat. He decided to land on a ridgetop off airport landing site to inspect the airplane's carburetor heat control, and drain some fuel. The pilot reported winds to be light and variable. During taxi after landing, the airplane's tires struck a rut, the pilot applied brakes, and the airplane nosed over. Fuel ran out of the fuel tank vents onto the engine, and the airplane immediately caught fire. The fire destroyed the airplane. The pilot indicated that he retrieved some survival equipment from the airplane before it was consumed, but was unable to reach the Emergency Locator Transmitter. The following day he saw some hunters, who ferried him to Port Alsworth.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time15:00 AKDT
Nearest Airport0nm
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireGrd
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftCessna 170B
Tail NumberN4368M
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorCraig M Dominick
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsContinental · O-300A · Reciprocating · 145
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (1 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured1
Total1
Crew 1Age 28 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
WindCalm
Visibility40 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point55 / 0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourcePILO

Appendix: Source Data