# Accident 20020730017119A: Piper PA31350, Fairbanks, AK, July 30, 2002 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: July 30, 2002, 13:40 local time - Place: Fairbanks, AK - Airport: Fairbanks International - Damage: No damage - Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135) - Operator: WVBA - Location: 64.8000° N, 147.8500° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=64.8000&lon=-147.8500&mi=10 - Aircraft: N3527U, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3527U) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-31-350 (registry code 7103110, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-350) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD (registry code 41977, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-tio-540-j2bd) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA31350 - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC02LA086](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC02LA086) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020730017119A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON JULY 30, 2002, ABOUT 1340 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 172 AIRPLANE, N739PB, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING AN ON-GROUND COLLISION WITH A PIPER PA-31 AIRPLANE, N3527U, AT THE FAIRBANKS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, FAIRBANKS, ALASKA. THE TWO AIRPLANES COLLIDED AS THE CESSNA 172 WAS TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF, AND WHILE THE PIPER PA-31 WAS TAXIING TO PARKING AFTER LANDING. THE CESSNA 172'S FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED AS A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) LOCAL AREA PERSONAL FLIGHT UNDER TITLE 14, CFR PART 91, WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE SOLO AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE PIPER PA-31'S FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED AS A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) SCHEDULED DOMESTIC COMMUTER FLIGHT UNDER TITLE 14, CFR PART 135, OPERATED AS FLIGHT 755, BY WARBELOW'S AIR VENTURES, INC., FAIRBANKS. THE PA-31'S FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT THE TANANA AIRPORT, TANANA, ALASKA. THE CERTIFICATED AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT, AND THE TWO PASSENGERS ABOARD, WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. DURING A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE ON JULY 30, THE PILOT OF THE CESSNA 172 REPORTED THAT HE WAS TAXIING NORTHBOUND ON TAXIWAY DELTA, EN ROUTE TO RUNWAY 19L. HE SAID THAT AS HE PASSED BY INTERSECTION ROMEO, A PIPER PA-31 THAT WAS TURNING LEFT ON TO TAXIWAY DELTA STRUCK THE AFT PORTION HIS AIRPLANE'S LEFT WING. HE SAID THAT IN AN ATTEMPT TO AVOID THE COLLISION, HE APPLIED FULL RIGHT RUDDER, AND HEAVY BRAKING. THE RIGHT PROPELLER OF THE CONVERGING PA-31 STRUCK THE LEFT WING OF HIS AIRPLANE. HE ADDED THAT AFTER HE NOTICED THE TAXIING PA-31, HE JUST DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO REACT AND AVOID THE COLLISION. THE CESSNA 172 SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING AND LEFT AILERON. DURING A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE ON JULY 31, THE PILOT OF THE PA-31 REPORTED THAT AFTER LANDING ON RUNWAY 19R, SHE INFORMED THE FAIRBANKS ATCT GROUND CONTROLLER THE SHE WOULD BE PARKING AT THE WARBELOW'S RAMP, LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE AIRPORT. SHE WAS INSTRUCTED TO PROCEED TO PARKING AT THE EAST RAMP, VIA TAXIWAYS BRAVO, ECHO, ROMEO, AND DELTA. THE PA-31 PILOT STATED THAT WHILE TAXIING SLOWLY ON TAXIWAY ROMEO, AND WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN ONTO TAXIWAY DELTA, SHE HEARD ONE OF HER PASSENGERS SEATED IN REAR AND ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRPLANE YELL: "TO YOUR RIGHT, TO YOUR RIGHT." SUBSEQUENTLY, THE RIGHT PROPELLER OF THE TAXIING PA-31 COLLIDED WITH THE AFT PORTION OF THE CESSNA 172'S LEFT WING AND AILERON. THE PA-31 SUSTAINED NO DAMAGE DURING THE COLLISION. BOTH PILOT'S COMMENTED THAT CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY IN THE AREA COMPLICATED TAXI OPERATIONS. BOTH PILOT'S ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE AREA IN WHICH THE COLLISION TOOK PLACE WAS CONSIDERED "UNCONTROLLED" BY FAIRBANKS ATCT GROUND CONTROL. (-23) ON JULY 30, 2002, ABOUT 1340 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 172 AIRPLANE, N739PB, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING AN ON-GROUND COLLISION WITH A PIPER PA-31 AIRPLANE, N3527U. THE TWO AIRPLANES COLLIDED AS THE CESSNA 172 WAS TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF, AND WHILE THE PIPER PA-31 WAS TAXIING TO PARKING AFTER LANDING, AT THE FAIRBANKS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, FAIRBANKS, ALASKA. THE CESSNA 172'S FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED AS A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) LOCAL AREA PERSONAL FLIGHT UNDER TITLE 14, CFR PART 91, WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE SOLO AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE PIPER PA-31'S FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED AS A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) SCHEDULED DOM ESTIC COMMUTER FLIGHT UNDER TITLE 14, CFR PART 135, OPERATED AS FLIGHT 755, BY WARBELOW'S AIR VENTURES, INC., FAIRBANKS. THE PA-31'S FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT THE TANANA AIRPORT, TANANA, ALASKA. THE CERTIFICATED AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT, AND THE TWO PASSENGERS ABOARD, WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT OF THE CESSNA 172 REPORTED THAT HE WAS TAXIING NORTHBOUND ON TAXIWAY DELTA, EN ROUTE TO RUNWAY 19L. HE SAID THAT AS HE PASSED BY INTERSECTION ROMEO, A PIPER PA-31 THAT WAS TURNING LEFT ONTO TAXIWAY DELTA STRUCK HIS AIRPLANE'S LEFT WING. HE SAID THAT IN AN ATTEMPT TO AVOID THE COLLISION, HE APPLIED FULL RIGHT RUDDER, AND HEAVY BRAKING. THE RIGHT PROPELLER OF THE CONVERGING PA-31 STRUCK THE LEFT WING OF HIS AIRPLANE. HE ADDED THAT AFTER HE NOTICED THE TAXIING PA-31, HE JUST DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO REACT AND AVOID THE COLLISION. THE CESSNA 172 SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING AND LEFT AILERON. THE PILOT OF THE PA-31 REPORTED THAT AFTER LANDING ON RUNWAY 19R, SHE INFORMED THE FAIRBANKS ATCT GROUND CONTROLLER THAT SHE WOULD BE PARKING AT THE WARBELOW'S RAMP, LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE AIRPORT. SHE WAS INSTRUCTED TO PROCEED TO PARKING AT THE EAST RAMP, VIA TAXIWAYS BRAVO, ECHO, AND ROMEO. THE PA-31 PILOT STATED THAT WHILE TAXIING SLOWLY ON TAXIWAY ROMEO, AND WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN ONTO TAXIWAY DELTA, SHE HEARD ONE OF HER PASSENGERS SEATED IN REAR AND ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRPLANE YELL SOMETHING. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE RIGHT PROPELLER OF THE TAXIING PA-31 COLLIDED WITH THE AFT PORTION OF THE CESSNA 172'S LEFT WING AND AILERON. THE PA-31 APPEARED TO HAVE SUSTAINED NO DAMAGE DURING THE COLLISION. BOTH PILOTS COMMENTED THAT CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY IN THE AREA COMPLICATED TAXI OPERATIONS. BOTH PILOTS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE AREA IN WHICH THE COLLISION TOOK PLACE WAS CONSIDERED "UNCONTROLLED" BY FAIRBANKS ATCT GROUND CONTROL. ## 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 ANC02LA086](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC02LA086), Jul 30, 2002: Piper PA-31-350 (N3527U), Fairbanks, AK, no damage. Probable cause: The failure of both pilots to maintain adequate visual outlook while taxiing. ## Other reports on N3527U (4) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20020313003329A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020313003329A), Mar 13, 2002: Piper PA31350 (N3527U), Fairbanks, AK, No damage. (.19) On March 13, 2002, about 1553 Alaska standard time, a Piper PA-31-350 airplane, N3527U, sustained substantial damage during an inadvertent wheels-up… - [Incident 19990304012849I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990304012849I), Mar 4, 1999: Piper PA31350 (N3527U), Galena, AK. On takeoff from gal pilot got red gear unsafe light and hydraulic system fluid was lost. He returned to the flights originating airport andlanded without… - [Accident 19980811025109A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980811025109A), Aug 11, 1998: Piper PA31350 (N3527U), Fort Yukon, AK, Substantial damage. (.4) The airline transport pilot was preparing to land a multiengine, retractable landing gear airplane. He reported that while on downwind for landing on… - [Incident 19890118006569I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890118006569I), Jan 18, 1989: Piper PA31350 (N3527U), Fairbanks, AK. High temperature and low oil pressure on climbout. Engine shutdown. Returned. Oil had congealed in oil cooler. 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.