- Date
- April 26, 2005, 17:25 local (Apr 27, 2005, 01:25 UTC)
- Place
- Anchorage, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N2981DCessna 170
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 13, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 20050426009089A
- Case key
- 61483
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 failure to maintain clearance from a sign while taxiing from landing, which resulted in an on ground collision with the sign.
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 commercial pilot reported that after landing, while exiting the active runway, he inadvertently taxied over a runway/taxiway identification sign that was located adjacent to the taxiway. The airplane sustained structural damage to the fuselage. The pilot noted there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.
Factual narrative
On April 26, 2005, about 1725 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 170 airplane, N2981D, sustained substantial damage while landing at Merrill Field, Anchorage, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross country flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The solo commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Seldovia Airport, Seldovia, Alaska, about 1530.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on April 29, the pilot reported that after landing on runway 24, while exiting the active runway, he inadvertently taxied over a runway/taxiway identification sign that was located adjacent to the taxiway. The airplane sustained structural damage to the fuselage. The pilot noted there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2981D
- Reported as
- Cessna 170
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 26924
- Airframe hours
- 4,250.9
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- David W. Wright
- Registered owner
- David W. Wright
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 1, 2005
- Departed
- SOV · Seldovia, AK
- Destination
- MRI · Anchorage, AK
- Airport
- MRI · Merrill Field, runway 24
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
- 66
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 1, 2004
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,500 total · 20 in this make and model · 2,500 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.30 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N2981D · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.