Aeronca 15AC accident near Ptarmigan Pass, Alaska, September 8, 1992
On September 8, 1992 at about 1:30 am local time, a Aeronca 15AC, registered N1009H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ptarmigan Pass, Alaska (Gravel Bar Hartman River airport). 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 PARTIAL FAILURE OF THE NORMAL BRAKE SYSTEM, THE MISJUDGING OF THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT AND THE ATTEMPTED GO AROUND. FACTOR WAS THE ROUGH AND UNEVEN LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 8, 1992 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Ptarmigan Pass, Alaska · Gravel Bar Hartman River · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 15AC · all 15ACs on the register
- Registration
- N1009H · registry record · serial 11
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT LANDED APPROXIMATELY 125 FEET PAST THE THRESHOLD OF A 700 FOOT LONG AIRSTRIP. HE BEGAN TO APPLY BRAKE PRESSURE WITH INCREASING PRESSURE. HE STATED THAT WHEN HE WAS APPLYING HARD BRAKE PRESSURE HE LOST ALL PRESSURE IN THE RIGHT BRAKE. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO STOP AND HE ATTEMPTED A GO AROUND. THE AIRPLANE DID NOT GET AIRBORNE BEFORE RUNNING OFF THE END OF THE AIRSTRIP AND OVERTURNING IN FISH CREEK. EXAMINATION OF THE BRAKE CALIPERS SHOWED THAT THE OLD DRUM BRAKE CALIPER HAD FRACTURED THROUGH THE CHAMBER CAUSING THE FLUID TO LEAK OUT.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 77 hours in all; 51 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 47 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,700 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 2, 1992; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Tallevue Lodge AK at 6:30 pm
- Destination: Hartman River AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 700 ft by 25 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.