Aviat A-1B accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, October 6, 2005
On October 6, 2005 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Aviat A-1B, registered N792, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fairbanks, Alaska. It was a public-use flight (federal) 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 flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the dual student during the landing roll, which resulted in the dual student applying the brakes excessively, and the airplane nosing over. A factor associated with the accident was the excessive braking by the dual student.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 6, 2005 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Fairbanks, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aviat A-1B
- Registration
- N792 · no longer on the register · serial 2266
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight (federal) · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certificated flight instructor was giving landing instruction to a pilot-rated dual student during a public use flight at an off airport landing site. During the landing roll, the student applied the brakes excessively, and the airplane nosed over. The flight instructor indicated he felt his expectations and the outcome of the maneuver had not been properly communicated to the student, and that prior to the accident, there were no known mechanical problems with the airplane. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer, wings, lift-struts, and windshield.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 367 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 1, 2005; 98 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FAI Fairbanks AK
- Destination: Fairbanks AK
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 8,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N792 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.