# Accident 20151229020369A: Cessna 172S, Anchorage, AK, December 29, 2015

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 29, 2015, 06:15 local time
- Place: Anchorage, AK
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Other, Specify
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 61.2192° N, 149.9025° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.2192&lon=-149.9025&mi=10
- Aircraft: N914CP, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N914CP-2017-03-21) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172S (registry code 2072439, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 SER A&C (registry code 41511, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-ser-a-c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172S
- Reported engine: LYCOMING I0360 SER A&C
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 140 total, 120 in this make and model, 10 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC16LA011](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC16LA011) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20151229020369A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

THE ANCHORAGE POLICE DEPARTMENT NOTIFIED FAA INVESTIGATORS AT THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT THAT THE AIRMAN WHO CRASHED THE AIRPLANE WAS CONSIDERED TO BE SUICIDAL. THE NIGHT BEFORE THE ACCIDENT THE AIRMAN CONTACTED HIS X-WIFE AND THREATENED TO COMMIT SUICIDE IN A BIG WAY. THE ANCHORAGE POLICE WERE NOTIFIED OF THIS AND CONTACTED THE AIRMAN WHO CLAIMED TO BE DOING ALRIGHT. THE NEXT MORNING DECEMBER 29, 2015 THE AIRMAN ABSCONDED AN AIRPLANE (CESSNA 172) FROM THE CIVIL AIR PATROL HANGAR ON MERRILL FIELD AT APPROXIMATELY 0600 LOCAL TIME. THE AIRMAN TAXIED OUT TO RUNWAY 16. MERRILL TOWER WAS CURRENTLY CLOSED. THE AIRMAN DEPARTED RUNWAY 16 AND FLEW INTO THE LAKE HOOD SEGMENT WITHOUT TALKING TO ATC. THE AIRMAN PROCEEDED WEST BOUND OVER WEST HIGH SCHOOL AND CONTINUED OUT OVER THE INLET BETWEEN POINT MACKENZIE AND DOWNTOWN ANCHORAGE. AT THAT POINT THE AIRMAN CIRCLED BACK TOWARDS DOWNTOWN ANCHORAGE AND PROCEEDED TO FLY THE AIRPLANE INTO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. THE SAME BUILDING WHERE THE AIRMANS X-WIFE WORKS. NO ONE WAS INSIDE THE OFFICE AREA WHERE THE PLANE HIT. THE RIGHT WING OF THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE CORNER OF THE BUILDING AND THE REST OF THE AIRCRAFT HIT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND AN ELECTRICAL TRANSFORMER ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING. WHICH FORCED AUTHORITIES TO SHUT DOWN POWER TO THE AREA. VERY LITTLE DEBRIS REMAINED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE FBI TOOK OVER THE INVESTIGATION AS IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS STOLEN FROM THE CIVIL AIR PATROL HANGAR ON MERRILL FIELD.

## 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 ANC16LA011](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC16LA011), Dec 29, 2015: Cessna 172 (N914CP), Anchorage, AK, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's intentional flight into a building.

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.

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