# Accident 19990515020569A: Piper PA22, Dillingham, AK, May 15, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: May 15, 1999, 17:54 local time - Place: Dillingham, AK - Airport: Dillingham - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Ground Taxi, Other Airplane - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 58.8200° N, 157.8602° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=58.8200&lon=-157.8602&mi=10 - Aircraft: N8883C, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8883C) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-22 (registry code 7102202, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-22) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-290 series (registry code 41506, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-290-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA22 - Reported engine: LYC O320B2B - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 24,000 total, 1,000 in this make and model, 320 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC99LA062](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA062) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990515020569A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON MAY 15, 1999, AT 1754 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A TAILWHEEL EQUIPPED PIPER PA-20 AIRPLANE, N8883C, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT DEPARTED THE EDGE OF RUNWAY 19 AT THE DILLINGHAM AIRPORT, DILLINGHAM, ALASKA. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND SOLE PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 AS A PERSONAL FLIGHT BY THE PILOT AND HIS WIFE. THE PILOT ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO DEPART FOR THE VILLAGE OF EKUK, BUT WAS RETURNING TO PARK AFTER TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT TOLD THE NTSB INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE (IIC) DURING A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW ON MAY 18, THAT DURING HIS INITIAL TAXI, THE AIRPLANE DID NOT STEER CORRECTLY, BUT HE COULD NOT DETERMINE THE REASON. HE TOLD THE IIC THAT HE DECIDED TO RETURN TO PARKING. DURING THE RETURN TAXI ON RUNWAY 19, THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE TURNED TO THE LEFT 270 DEGREES, AND THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE TURN WITH RUDDER INPUT OR BRAKING. THE TAILWHEEL SUPPORT STRUCTURE, AND CENTER EMPENNAGE, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT TOLD THE IIC THAT AFTER THE ACCIDENT, HE DISCOVERED THE EXTERNAL RUDDER GUST LOCK STILL INSTALLED. REPORTED WINDS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE 210 DEGREES AT 7 KNOTS. RUNWAY 19 MEASURES 6,404 FEET LONG BY 150 FEET WIDE. (-23) ALBERT BALL, THE PILOT IN COMMAND, STATED THAT UPON TAXIING OUT, THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT FEEL RIGHT AND HE HAD TROUBLE WITH DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE WIND WEATHER VANED THE AIRCRAFT WITH THE MAIN WHEELS STAYING ON THE RUNWAY AND THE TAIL SWINGING OUT AND DOWN AN EMBANKMENT. THE PIC STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE EMPENNAGE, TAIL AREA AND TAIL WHEEL ASSEMBLY. THE PIC STATED UPON GETTING OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT HE NOTICED THAT THE EXTERNAL RUDDER LOCK WAS STIL INSTALLED.^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ (.4) THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING TAXI FOR TAKEOFF THE TAILWHEEL EQUIPPED AIRPLANE DID NOT STEER CORRECTLY. HE SAID THAT HE DECIDED TO RETURN TO PARKING. WHILE RETURNING TO PARK, THE AIRPLANE TURNED TO THE LEFT 270 DEGREES, SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGING THE EMPENNAGE. POSTACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED THE RUDDER GUST LOCK WAS STILL INSTALLED ON THE TAIL. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ANC99LA062](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA062), May 16, 1999: Piper PA-20 (N8883C), Dillingham, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The inadequate preflight by the pilot, who left the rudder gust lock installed, making directional control not possible. ## Other reports on N8883C (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20140728015199A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140728015199A), Jul 28, 2014: Piper PA-22 (N8883C), Dillingham, AK, Substantial damage. On July 18, 2014, at 1545 Alaska daylight time, a Piper PA-22, N8883C, experienced a ground loop During landing roll on runway 19 at the Dillingham municipal… - [Accident 19760718027449A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19760718027449A), Jul 18, 1976: Piper PA22 (N8883C), Dillingham, AK, Substantial damage. Selector on empty tank. Lndd in tundra. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.