ANC01LA051

Factual narrative

On April 22, 2001, about 1200 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna 150 airplane, N8401J, sustained substantial damage during landing at the Summit Airport, located about six miles south-southwest of Cantwell, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by the pilot. The commercial certificated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at Merrill Field, Anchorage, Alaska, about 0945. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on April 22, the pilot reported that he was en route to Fairbanks, Alaska, and decided to land at the Summit Airport for a short break. He said he over-flew the runway, and it appeared to him as snow-covered, but smooth. The pilot then landed on runway 21. As the airplane touched down, the landing gear immediately sank into about 12 inches of snow, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane received damage to the vertical stabilizer, wings, and the aft cabin bulkhead. The Summit Airport, elevation 2,409 feet msl, has a single gravel runway on a 210/030 degree orientation. Runway 21 is 3,840 feet long, and 80 feet wide. The Alaska Supplement/Airport Facility Directory states, in part: "Unattended. Runway condition not monitored, recommend visual inspection prior to landing... No winter maintenance." The commercial certificated pilot was on a cross-country personal flight, and decided to land at the accident airport for a short break. He said he over-flew the runway and it appeared to him as snow-covered, but smooth. The pilot then landed on runway 21. As the airplane touched down, the landing gear immediately sank into about 12 inches of snow, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane received damage to the vertical stabilizer, wings, and the aft cabin bulkhead. The Alaska Supplement/Airport Facility Directory states, in part: "Unattended. Runway condition not monitored, recommend visual inspection prior to landing... No winter maintenance." Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12