Glennallen, AK, USA
N677DT
Freeman Glastar
The certificated commercial pilot, with one passenger aboard, was landing on a 675 feet long off airport site, in an experimental, homebuilt airplane. Due to obstructions at the south end of the site, the pilot landed to the south, and downwind. As the airplane's main wheels touched down on the rough gravel surface, the airplane bounced. The pilot recovered from the bounce, and flew further down the runway and landed about midfield on the site. During the landing roll, while applying heavy braking, the airplane went off the end of the site, and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and rudder.
On August 18, 2001, about 1600 Alaska daylight time, a wheel-equipped Freeman Glastar, an experimental, homebuilt airplane, N677DT, sustained substantial damage during landing at an off airport site, about 22 miles northwest of Glennallen, Alaska. The certificated commercial pilot, and the one passenger, were not injured. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a VFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated about 1545, from the Gulkana Airport, Gulkana, Alaska. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on August 29, the pilot reported that he was landing to the south on a 675 feet long, uphill site. He added that due to obstructions at the south end of the site, he had to land to the south, and downwind. He said that as the airplane's main wheels touched down on the rough gravel surface, the airplane bounced. He recovered from the bounce, and flew further down the runway and landed about midfield on the site. He said that during the landing roll, while applying heavy braking, the airplane went off the end of the site, and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and rudder. The pilot said that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
The pilot's failure to abort the landing. Factors associated with the accident were the pilot's selection of an unsuitable landing area, and his failure to attain a proper touchdown point. An additional factor was a tailwind.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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