No fatalities

7 Sep 2009: AERONCA 15AC — DIXON CHARLES W — Kotzebue, AK

Kotzebue, AK, United States

On 7 Sep 2009, an AERONCA 15AC operated by DIXON CHARLES W was involved in an aviation accident near Kotzebue, AK. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's delay in aborting the off-airport landing resulting in a hard landing. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 10 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

During an off-airport landing, an airline transport pilot reported a bounce, aborted landing, then encountered a downdraft before colliding with terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage.

Accident Details

An airline transport pilot was conducting a personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, which included taking off and landing at an off-airport site. According to a written statement provided to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the pilot reported that during landing at the off-airport site, the airplane touched down and bounced approximately 8 feet before touching down again. The pilot stated that with maximum braking, he did not believe he could stop the airplane within the landing area, so he added power to abort the landing.

Sequence of Events

As the airplane became airborne, the pilot reported encountering a downdraft. The airplane subsequently collided with terrain. The pilot noted that he should have aborted the landing sooner. He also stated that there were no known mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident.

Damage Assessment

The accident resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings of the airplane.

Contributing factors

Causes

Performance/control parameters — Not attained/maintainedPilot

Other contributing factors

Contributed to outcomeEffect on operation