# NTSB ANC07LA028: Cessna 150, N6363G, Willow, AK, April 6, 2007 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 6, 2007, 13:30 local (21:30 UTC) - Place: Willow, AK - Coordinates: 61.424167, -150.051666 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.4242&lon=-150.0517&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 27, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: Anchorage FSDO-03 - NTSB case key (mKey): 65556 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC07LA028 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/65556/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC07LA028 ## Probable cause The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control while taxiing, which resulted in the airplane contacting a snow berm and nosing down. Factors associated with the accident were the snow and ice covered runway, and excessive taxispeed. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, taxi - from landing - terrain condition - runway - terrain condition - icy (contributing factor) - taxispeed - excessive, pilot in command (contributing factor) - terrain condition - snow covered (contributing factor) - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, taxi - from landing - terrain condition - berm - Nose down, taxi - from landing ## Analysis The solo student pilot had just completed three full-stop landings under Title 14, CFR Part 91, and was taxiing to the ramp to pick up his instructor when he lost directional control of the airplane. He reported that he applied too much power, and was taxiing too fast on the ice and snow covered runway. He said when he tried to turn toward the ramp the airplane started to slide to the left, and his attempt to control the airplane failed. He reported that the airplane contacted a snow berm, and the airplane nosed down, sustaining damage to both wings and the fuselage. ## Factual narrative On April 6, 2007, about 1330 Alaska daylight time, a tailwheel-equipped, Cessna 150 airplane, N6363G, sustained substantial damage when it collided with a snow berm following a loss of control while taxiing from landing at the Willow Airport, Willow, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by the student pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) supervised solo flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The solo student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on April 10, the student pilot said he had completed three supervised solo landings, and was taxiing to the ramp to pickup his instructor. He said the runway and taxiway were covered with hard packed snow and ice, and that he was taxiing too fast. The airplane veered to the left, and he applied right rudder and pulled the power off. He reported the airplane rotated to the right, striking the left wing on the ground, and then rotated again, striking the right wing. He said the airplane exited the left side of the runway, struck a snow berm, and nosed down. On April 10, during a telephone conversation with the IIC, the flight instructor said after making three solo landings, the student applied too much power while taxiing to the ramp, and lost directional control. The instructor said the runway was covered with hard packed snow and ice, the temperature was about 32 degrees F, visibility was greater than 20 miles, and the wind was calm. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6363G](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6363G), registered now, S/N 15071863, built 1970 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 150 - Registry model: [Cessna 150K](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150k) (registry code 2071822) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15071863 - Airframe hours: 3920 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-E2D 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Robert Bernowski - Registered owner: Paul Huppert - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 1, 2006 - Departed: PAUO, Willow, AK - Airport: UUO, Willow, runway 31, 4,400 × 75 ft, gravel ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 30; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 12 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Temperature: 32 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20070406008179A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070406008179A), Apr 6, 2007: Cessna 150K, Willow, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) A flight instructor was conducting the second supervised solo of a student pilot in a Cessna 150 with a tailwheel conversion at the Willow airpoprt (uuo)… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.