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ANC12CA036

2012-05-03 · Chefornak, Alaska, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport PACK

N1906 has since been reassigned. It is now registered to a different aircraft (YAKOVLEV/WILLIAMS J A YAK 3UPW, built 2005), which was not involved in this event.

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's misidentification of a nearby snow-covered road as the snow-covered runway in flat light conditions.

Factual narrative

The pilot was landing on a narrow gravel runway adjacent to a gravel road. He reported that both the road and runway were covered with snow, and that flat light conditions made it difficult to discern between the two surfaces. He inadvertently landed to the left of the runway on the rough road, which resulted in structural damage to the nose landing gear bulkhead. The pilot was landing on a narrow gravel runway adjacent to a gravel road. He reported that both the road and runway were covered with snow and that flat light conditions made it difficult to discern between the two surfaces. He inadvertently landed to the left of the runway on the rough road, which resulted in structural damage to the nose landing gear bulkhead. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Identification/recognition-Pilot - C
  • C Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Light condition-Flat light-Effect on personnel - C
  • — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa-Snow/slush/ice covered-Effect on personnel

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2012_ANC12CA036.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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