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20160901022949A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Cessna 172P · Anchorage, AK · September 1, 2016

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
September 1, 2016 · 13:30 local
Place
Anchorage, AK
Phase of flight
Taxi
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N52950
NTSB investigation
NTSBGAA16CA487
Reported as
Cessna 172P
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificates
Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
955 total750 in this make and model200 in the last 90 days
N52950Registered now · Cessna 172PS/N 17274642 · Built 1981Airframe modelCessna 172PEngine modelLycoming 0-320 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.

On 1 sep, 2016, my student and I put the flaps up in N52950, while sitting on a taxiway near to abeam the land and sea aviation fuel point, getting ready to taxi. I felt the aircraft starting to lean to the right and immediately looked out my right window to see if it was due to a flat tire. To my surprise, the ramp was opening up into a 2 ft. wide dark black hole underneath our right landing gear! I immediately yelled, "emergency, evacuate!" I then immediately cut the mixture to prevent prop/engine damage, as I assumed the aircraft may continue to sink into the ramp, and we quickly evacuated the aircraft without stopping to grab anything! Once we were out of the aircraft, the plane stopped sinking and I went back to turn the fuel selector off, master off, and mags off. God was definitely looking out for me that day, as the sinkhole turned out to be a 18 ft. deep x 40 ft. wide cavity underneath the ramp; however, alertness and quick reaction definitely played a huge part in us getting out without injury and keeping the aircraft damage to a minimum.

Keeping safety first,

As the FAA filed it

ON 1 SEP, 2016, MY STUDENT AND I PUT THE FLAPS UP IN N52950, WHILE SITTING ON A TAXIWAY NEAR TO ABEAM THE LAND AND SEA AVIATION FUEL POINT, GETTING READY TO TAXI. I FELT THE AIRCRAFT STARTING TO LEAN TO THE RIGHT AND IMMEDIATELY LOOKED OUT MY RIGHT WINDOW TO SEE IF IT WAS DUE TO A FLAT TIRE. TO MY SURPRISE, THE RAMP WAS OPENING UP INTO A 2 FT. WIDE DARK BLACK HOLE UNDERNEATH OUR RIGHT LANDING GEAR! I IMMEDIATELY YELLED, "EMERGENCY, EVACUATE!" I THEN IMMEDIATELY CUT THE MIXTURE TO PREVENT PROP/ENGINE DAMAGE, AS I ASSUMED THE AIRCRAFT MAY CONTINUE TO SINK INTO THE RAMP, AND WE QUICKLY EVACUATED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT STOPPING TO GRAB ANYTHING! ONCE WE WERE OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT, THE PLANE STOPPED SINKING AND I WENT BACK TO TURN THE FUEL SELECTOR OFF, MASTER OFF, AND MAGS OFF. GOD WAS DEFINITELY LOOKING OUT FOR ME THAT DAY, AS THE SINKHOLE TURNED OUT TO BE A 18 FT. DEEP X 40 FT. WIDE CAVITY UNDERNEATH THE RAMP; HOWEVER, ALERTNESS AND QUICK REACTION DEFINITELY PLAYED A HUGE PART IN US GETTING OUT WITHOUT INJURY AND KEEPING THE AIRCRAFT DAMAGE TO A MINIMUM.

KEEPING SAFETY FIRST,

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 GAA16CA487Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportAnchorage, AKThe airplane’s encounter with a developing sink hole during taxi on the ramp area.Sep 1, 2016 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N52950 · 3

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

Incident 20220506006459ILanding: Approach · Palmer, AK[privacy data omitted] Flying a Cessna 172P (N52950) on 06 may 2022 at approx... 10:15L/18:15Z. With the intent of landing on an off airport gravel surface marked with chalk, conducted one low pass with the intent of identifying service suitability and…May 6, 2022 · Minor damageIncident 20090225025079ITakeoff: Departure Roll · Anchorage, AKThe pilot was doing a touch and go and, while the pilot was resetting the flaps, the plane veered to the left when it encountered ice. It clipped a runway light with the left main gear.Feb 25, 2009 · No damageIncident 19851115065479IFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Crooked Creek, AKLanded on river ice after sudden loss of power and vibration. Number 2 cylinder pushrod assemblies bent, broken.Nov 15, 1985 · Minor damage