Aviat Aircraft INC A-1B accident near Bettles Field, Alaska, August 31, 2010
On August 31, 2010 at about 5:34 am local time, a Aviat Aircraft INC A-1B, registered N20HY, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Bettles Field, Alaska. It was a public-use flight (federal) under public-use (government) rules. No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's selection of an unsuitable off-airport landing site for a precautionary landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 31, 2010 · about 5:34 am local time
- Place
- Bettles Field, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aviat Aircraft INC A-1B · all A-1Bs on the register
- Registration
- N20HY · registry record · serial 2001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight (federal) · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during the flight he observed smoke in the cockpit and smelled burning oil. He noted a rise in oil temperature, followed by a decrease in oil pressure, and an unusual vibration in the floorboards, control stick, and rudder. He elected to make a precautionary landing on a sandbar. He reported that on short final to the sandbar, he turned the fuel and electrical systems off, and that the propeller was windmilling. While landing, the left wingtip hit brush and the airplane veered to the left, at which point the right wingtip struck the ground. The airplane then nosed down and the propeller struck the sandbar. A postaccident examination revealed that the engine oil was at a normal level and did not smell burned; no evidence of leaks were found. The engine was removed from the airplane and successfully run on an engine test stand with no mechanical anomalies or leaks noted. An examination of the propeller showed aft bending and torsional twisting, with multiple leading edge gouges and chordwise scratching, consistent with the propeller being under power and striking the ground multiple times during the landing.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during enroute (cruise)
- Off-field or emergency landing during enroute (cruise)
- Nose over/nose down during landing
- Miscellaneous/other during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › (general) › Contributed to outcome
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Power plant › (general) › Not specified
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › (general) › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,600 hours in all; 450 in this make and model; 175 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 1,450 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 3, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,903 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 21, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PACX Coldfoot AK at 11:30 pm
- Destination: PABT Bettles Field AK
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.77 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 ANC10TA080.