- Date
- September 21, 2000, 15:15 local (23:15 UTC)
- Place
- Anchorage, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N1455HAeronca 15AC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 10, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 20000921041719A
- Case key
- 50996
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate compensation for high, gusty wind conditions during water taxi. Factors associated with the accident are high and gusty wind conditions.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot was taxiing the float-equipped airplane to parking after landing at a dedicated seaplane base. While turning, a strong, gusty wind pushed the airplane nose down into the water, and the airplane collided with a dock.
Factual narrative
On September 21, 2000, at 1515 Alaska daylight time, an Aeronca 15AC airplane, N1455H, sustained substantial damage when it nosed down during taxi from landing at the Lake Hood Seaplane base, Anchorage, Alaska. The private pilot was not injured. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed.
The pilot reported that after landing on the southeast waterway, he made a 90-degree turn to the left. During the turn, a gust of wind nosed the airplane down, and it collided with a dock. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing spar, rudder assembly, aileron, and windshield.
The 1453 ADT hourly weather observation taken at the Ted Stevens-Anchorage International Airport, located one-half mile west of the accident site, reported winds from 150 degrees at 27 knots, gusting to 38 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1455H
- Reported as
- Aeronca 15AC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 525
- Airframe hours
- 3,508
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Walter F. Kephart
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 15, 2000 · 47 hours before
- Destination
- LHD
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- LHD · Lake Hood Seaplane
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 57
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,914 total · 1,858 in this make and model · 1,808 as pilot in command · 54 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 27 knots, gusting 38
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ANC
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.