Christen Industries A-1 HUSKY accident near Selawik, Alaska, September 7, 1998
On September 7, 1998 at about 2:00 am local time, a Christen Industries A-1 HUSKY, registered N28973, was substantially damaged in an accident near Selawik, 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 inadequate compensation for the crosswind conditions. Factors in this accident were a crosswind, the pilot's lack of certification, and his inadequate fuel consumption calculations.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 7, 1998 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Selawik, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Christen Industries A-1 HUSKY
- Registration
- N28973 · registry record · serial 1018
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated to two FAA inspectors that he was attempting to land on a 600 feet long, off airport landing site, with a 25 knot crosswind and gusts to 35 knots. During the landing, the right main landing gear separated and the airplane nosed over. The pilot said he would not have attempted to land, but he did not have enough fuel to return to his destination airport. The pilot also revealed that he had been flying with a student pilot certificate since 1983, and 'just had not had time to complete his private license.' He had accumulated about 1,000 flight hours at the time of the accident.
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: student
- Flight time: 1,000 hours in all; 400 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 520 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 21, 1998; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GAL Galena AK
- Destination: Purcell Mtn. AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 25 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.