Interstate S-1A accident near Palmer, Alaska, May 7, 2005
On May 7, 2005 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Interstate S-1A, registered N37209, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palmer, Alaska (Grasshopper Valley airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's misjudged distance and speed, which resulted in an overrun during the landing roll, and subsequent nose over. Factors contributing to the accident were a tailwind and a short landing area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 7, 2005 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Palmer, Alaska · Grasshopper Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Interstate S-1A · all S-1As on the register
- Registration
- N37209 · no longer on the register · serial 52
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private certificated pilot was landing on a remote airstrip that was about 500 feet long and 60 feet wide. He said he flew several passes over the airstrip, and touched down toward the southeast. The airplane bounced slightly and floated, and when it touched down again, he applied full engine power to abort the landing. He said the airplane did not seem to want to fly, and he pulled the engine power to idle and applied the brakes. The airplane overran the end of the strip, into an area of brush, encountered soft terrain, and nosed over. The airplane received structural damage to the right wing lift strut and windshield. After the accident, the pilot reported that the wind appeared calm, but he thought that he may have encountered a slight tailwind during the landing.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2003
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Wasilla AK at 2:00 pm
- Destination: Palmer AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N37209 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC05LA073.