Amateur-built SR3500 accident near Anchorage, Alaska, August 22, 2005
On August 22, 2005 at about 11:00 pm local time, a amateur-built SR3500, registered N400KL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Merrill Field). It was a personal 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The malfunction of the propeller reversing system during landing, which allowed the propeller to reverse pitch in-flight, resulting in an uncontrolled descent and impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 22, 2005 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Merrill Field · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SR3500
- Registration
- N400KL · no longer on the register · serial SR207
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport pilot was concluding a personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91. He reported that as he turned final approach to land, he added power, and the airplane decelerated and violently pitched nose down. He said he applied additional power to raise the nose and arrest the rate of descent, but the nose pitched down further. He indicated the airplane was low on final approach, in a level attitude, and descending rapidly. He applied power again, but the airplane pitched down again. The airplane continued to descend until it struck a curb, dirt berm, and an unoccupied vehicle in a parking lot near the approach end of the runway. The pilot said there were no known mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident. The airplane is equipped with a propeller that is capable of changing its pitch angle to provide reverse thrust for ground operations. The airframe mounted anti-reverse safety devices, intended to prevent the propeller from reversing in-flight, were tested on the ground and found to function properly. A third anti-reverse device, fly-weights in the propeller governor, could not be tested. The propeller governor was removed and disassembled. The electric propeller pitch change solenoid functioned properly, however the reversing valve, which is located in a valve body to which the solenoid is attached, was found stuck in what, according to schematics provided by the manufacturer, was consistent with the reverse pitch position. The reversing valve is intended to move freely within the valve body, but had to be forcefully removed. The interior of the reversing valve body had a coating of carbon-like material around the interior.
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: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,700 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 49 in the last 30 days; 5,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 91 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2005; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Aero Motors M-14PF-XDK (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Z40 Goose Bay AK at 5:30 pm
- Destination: PAMR Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 100 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.