American Champion (Acac) 8GCBC accident near Wasilla, Alaska, November 15, 2007
On November 15, 2007 at about 2:15 am local time, a American Champion (Acac) 8GCBC, registered N439MA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Wasilla, Alaska (Wolf Lake 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's misjudged touchdown point during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 15, 2007 · about 2:15 am local time
- Place
- Wasilla, Alaska · Wolf Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American Champion (Acac) 8GCBC
- Registration
- N439MA · registry record · serial 439-2002
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot was landing on a snow-covered runway during dusk. The pilot reported that after landing, the airplane's right wheel struck a snow berm on the right side of the runway, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained structural damage to the left wing lift strut and empennage. The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. He said that a postaccident examination revealed that the runway edge markers on the right side of the runway are situated 28 feet to the right of the runway centerline, and the runway edge markers on the left side of the runway are situated 16 feet to the left of the runway centerline.
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
What happened, in order
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Decision related to condition
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Snow/ice › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 496 hours in all; 76 in this make and model; 63 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 91 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 329 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2006; 157.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C1G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IYS Wasilla AK at 2:00 am
- Destination: 4AK6 Palmer AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,800 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.