Amateur-built GOT ROCKS accident near Anchorage, Alaska, January 29, 2011
On January 29, 2011 at about 11:30 pm local time, a amateur-built GOT ROCKS, registered N9015U, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Anchorage, Alaska. 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 pilot's selection of an unsuitable landing/takeoff area with an unfavorable wind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 29, 2011 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built GOT ROCKS
- Registration
- N9015U · registry record · serial 1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that he was attempting a touch-and-go landing in a ski-equipped airplane on a snow-covered mountaintop site, which was surrounded by higher mountains. Before beginning his approach to the site, he determined the wind conditions, and then planned an easterly approach into a 10-mph headwind. After landing, he turned the airplane to the north in preparation for takeoff and, as it passed out of a wind-protected area, a strong southerly wind lifted the airplane's tail. The pilot was unable to control the airplane in the strong wind and it nosed over, sustaining substantial damage to the wings and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies 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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Mountainous/hilly terrain › Contributed to outcome
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › (general) › (general) › Capability exceeded
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Sudden wind shift › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 1,259 hours in all; 879 in this make and model; 74 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days; 1,259 as pilot in command; 59 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 386 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 13, 2010; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Anchorage AK at 7:15 pm
- Destination: Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 46 knots, gusting 57
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 21°F (-6°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N9015U the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 ANC11CA011.