Aviat A-1 accident near Anchorage, Alaska, August 5, 2005
On August 5, 2005 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Aviat A-1, registered N8XJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Goose Bay airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the dual student, and his failure to maintain control of the airplane. A factor associated with the accident was the dual student's excessive application of the brakes.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 5, 2005 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Goose Bay · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aviat A-1
- Registration
- N8XJ · registry record · serial 1388
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The owner of the accident airplane reported that the certificated flight instructor was conducting a Title 14, CFR Part 91 instructional flight giving tailwheel instruction and practicing wheel landings, when the dual student applied the brakes too heavily, and the airplane nosed over. The owner said the instructor reported damage to the wing leading edges, rudder and lift struts. The owner indicated there were no known mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Z41 Lake Hood AK at 2:45 pm
- Destination: Z40 Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 07, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 ANC05LA117.