Aviat A1B accident near Palmer, Alaska, October 4, 2007
On October 4, 2007 at about 10:50 pm local time, a Aviat A1B, registered N739, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palmer, Alaska. It was a public-use 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 flight instructor's failure to maintain clearance from high vegetation during the off-airport landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 4, 2007 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- Palmer, Alaska
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aviat A1B
- Registration
- N739 · no longer on the register · serial 2226
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor/mentor pilot for a federal agency was demonstrating off-airport landing techniques to a commercial federal pilot at a remote off-airport site during a public use training flight. The flight instructor was flying the airplane, and was attempting to do a touch and go landing on a gravel bar when the left wing struck a clump of vegetation. The flight instructor completed the touch and go, and returned the airplane to its base, where it was found that a wing rib would have to be replaced. The operator noted that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.
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 instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 500 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2007; 91 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360A1P (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Z41 Anchorage AK at 5:00 pm
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.65 inHg
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.