20190321014979A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-32R-300 · Atmautluak, AK · March 21, 2019

Date: March 21, 2019 · 09:42 local
Place: Atmautluak, AK
Phase of flight: Taxi
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: T72A
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N5544F
NTSB investigation: NTSBGAA19CA174
Reported as: Piper PA-32R-300
Reported engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series
People aboard: 5
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,183 total458 in this make and model250 in the last 90 days

N5544FRegistered now · Piper PA-32R-300S/N 32R-7780014 · Built 1976 Airframe modelPiper PA-32R-300 Engine modelLycoming IO-540-K1G5DReciprocating

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.

Airman was back taxing a PA-32R-300 on runway 33 at Atmautluak airport in Alaska. The airman hit a pot hole that was covered with snow. According to the airman this caused the right tire to sink into the hole and induced substantial damage to the right wing. The metal skin aft of the wing spar was wrinkled and the wing root was separated from the fuselage. Hydraulic fluid was leaking from the right brake. The airman stopped the airplane and after inspecting the airplane called dispatch and the chief pilot to notify them of the situation.

As the FAA filed it

AIRMAN WAS BACK TAXING A PA-32R-300 ON RUNWAY 33 AT ATMAUTLUAK AIRPORT IN ALASKA. THE AIRMAN HIT A POT HOLE THAT WAS COVERED WITH SNOW. ACCORDING TO THE AIRMAN THIS CAUSED THE RIGHT TIRE TO SINK INTO THE HOLE AND INDUCED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING. THE METAL SKIN AFT OF THE WING SPAR WAS WRINKLED AND THE WING ROOT WAS SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE. HYDRAULIC FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM THE RIGHT BRAKE. THE AIRMAN STOPPED THE AIRPLANE AND AFTER INSPECTING THE AIRPLANE CALLED DISPATCH AND THE CHIEF PILOT TO NOTIFY THEM OF THE SITUATION.

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 GAA19CA174Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportAtmautluak, AKThe airplane's encounter with a snow-covered pothole during taxi.Mar 21, 2019 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N5544F · 1

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

Accident 19780826025079ATo Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct) · Timberon, NMWt & bal info not available. Da approx 10700FT.Aug 26, 1978 · Reported as Piper PA32RT300 · Substantial damage