Aviat Aircraft INC A-1B accident near Arctic Village, Alaska, August 9, 2013
On August 9, 2013 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Aviat Aircraft INC A-1B, registered N286AM, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Arctic Village, Alaska. 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 failure to maintain clearance from terrain while maneuvering at low altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 9, 2013 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Arctic Village, 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
- N286AM · registry record · serial 2286
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that while maneuvering the airplane to make a low pass of a remote gravel bar, he inadvertently lost altitude and the right wing struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, wings and lift struts. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. In the recommendation section of the NTSB Accident/Incident Reporting Form 6120.1, the pilot stated that the accident may have been prevented if he had maintained awareness of wind conditions and how it affects aircraft performance.
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
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during maneuvering defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,850 hours in all; 168 in this make and model; 140 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 2,650 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 3, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 918 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 7, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Deadhorse AK at 1:30 pm
- Destination: Bettles AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; a few clouds at 8,500 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.71 inHg
- Observation at 4:16 pm from PARC, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.