| Crash location | 59.100000°N, 156.900000°W |
| Nearest city | Levelock, AK
59.114167°N, 156.858889°W 1.8 miles away |
| Tail number | N97124 |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 23 Mar 2004 |
| Aircraft type | Stinson 108-2 |
| Additional details: | None |
On March 23, 2004, about 1200 Alaska standard time, a wheel-equipped Stinson 108-2 airplane, N97124, sustained substantial damage when it overran the intended landing area on a frozen lake and encountered rough terrain, about 2 miles south of Levelock, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross country personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by the pilot. The private certificated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at the Naknek Airport, Naknek, Alaska, about 1118. No flight plan was filed, nor was one required.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on March 23, the pilot reported that the landing was the second of the day on a frozen lake that was about 1,000 feet long. He said he was landing toward the north, and after touchdown he applied the brakes. The airplane failed to stop, and slid off the frozen surface into an area of muskeg. The pilot said the airplane received damage to the propeller and the main landing gear attach points at the fuselage. He indicated that after the accident, he noticed a 5 to 10 knot wind from the south, and the ice surface of the lake was slippery due to slight melting. The pilot indicated there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.
The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing, which resulted in an overrun. Factors contributing to the accident were the pilot's inadequate weather evaluation, a tailwind, and a slippery, ice-covered landing surface.