OpenAirDocs.org

20140327005229A

Accident · Substantial damage
Open the Markdown

FAA accident report · Cessna 180 · Fairbanks, AK · March 27, 2014

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
March 27, 2014 · 13:35 local
Place
Fairbanks, AK
Airport
Dalrymple Airstrip
Phase of flight
Taxi
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N3125D
NTSB investigation
NTSBANC14CA021
Reported as
Cessna 180
Reported engine
Continental O-470 series
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
72 total23 in this make and model4 in the last 90 days
N3125DRegistered now · Cessna 180S/N 31923 · Built 1955Airframe modelCessna 180Engine modelContinental O-470 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

An onsite inspection of N3125D and the accident site was performed. The runway orientation is east/west. The pilot taxied to the east and turned around. The CE-180 was on straight skis. The pilot stated that he was taxing to the west and started to drift to the left. He attempted to correct with full right pedal. The aircraft continued drifting left towards trees and the pilot applied full power, attempting to gain directional control. When it became apparent that he was going into the trees, the pilot cut power. The aircraft struck the trees with the left wing. The aircraft pivoted and struck a power pole with the right wing. Both wings, the engine cowling and the door structure sustained substantial damage. This aligned with the written statement from the pilot. The only area that the pilot could not explain was if he had not yet done a take- off check, why were the flaps at 20-30 degrees down. The flap handle was up to either the 20 or 30 degree position. Both rear windows show marks and paint transfer from the flaps at a 20-30 degree position. The pilot originally stated that he was taxing with no intent for flight, but during the interview he stated that he was taxiing to ensure there was not frost on his skis and to warm up prior to departure.

As the FAA filed it

AN ONSITE INSPECTION OF N3125D AND THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS PERFORMED. THE RUNWAY ORIENTATION IS EAST/WEST. THE PILOT TAXIED TO THE EAST AND TURNED AROUND. THE CE-180 WAS ON STRAIGHT SKIS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS TAXING TO THE WEST AND STARTED TO DRIFT TO THE LEFT. HE ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT WITH FULL RIGHT PEDAL. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED DRIFTING LEFT TOWARDS TREES AND THE PILOT APPLIED FULL POWER, ATTEMPTING TO GAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. WHEN IT BECAME APPARENT THAT HE WAS GOING INTO THE TREES, THE PILOT CUT POWER. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE TREES WITH THE LEFT WING. THE AIRCRAFT PIVOTED AND STRUCK A POWER POLE WITH THE RIGHT WING. BOTH WINGS, THE ENGINE COWLING AND THE DOOR STRUCTURE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THIS ALIGNED WITH THE WRITTEN STATEMENT FROM THE PILOT. THE ONLY AREA THAT THE PILOT COULD NOT EXPLAIN WAS IF HE HAD NOT YET DONE A TAKE- OFF CHECK, WHY WERE THE FLAPS AT 20-30 DEGREES DOWN. THE FLAP HANDLE WAS UP TO EITHER THE 20 OR 30 DEGREE POSITION. BOTH REAR WINDOWS SHOW MARKS AND PAINT TRANSFER FROM THE FLAPS AT A 20-30 DEGREE POSITION. THE PILOT ORIGINALLY STATED THAT HE WAS TAXING WITH NO INTENT FOR FLIGHT, BUT DURING THE INTERVIEW HE STATED THAT HE WAS TAXIING TO ENSURE THERE WAS NOT FROST ON HIS SKIS AND TO WARM UP PRIOR TO DEPARTURE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ANC14CA021Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportNorth Pole, AKThe pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane while taxiing on a snow covered runway, which resulted in a collision with a terrain.Mar 27, 2014 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N3125D · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20180622008449ALanding: Rollout · Gold King Creek, AK[privacy data omitted] Landed on a 1000 foot dirt runway about 5 miles sw of Gold King Creek Alaska with 1 passenger on board. He said everything was going perfect and landed the aircraft safely with plenty of space for rollout. He began applying the brakes.…Jun 22, 2018 · Substantial damageAccident 19770409007199ARoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Fairbanks, AKApr 9, 1977 · Substantial damage