# NTSB ANC09LA069: Cessna 172L, N7136Q, Anchorage, AK, July 18, 2009 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 17, 2009, 22:00 local (Jul 18, 2009, 06:00 UTC) - Place: Anchorage, AK - Coordinates: 61.189445, -149.96527 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.1894&lon=-149.9653&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Taxi-from runway: Navigation error](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/280) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 12, 2010 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA FSDO-03 - NTSB case key (mKey): 74327 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC09LA069 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/74327/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74327 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC09LA069 ## Probable cause The pilot's unfamiliarity with the airport environment, which resulted in his taxiing the airplane onto a no-taxi section of roadway and into a road sign. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to avail himself of additional information that described the appropriate taxi routes on the airport. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Light condition: glare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036030): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Cessna 172L, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036030/cases.md?model=2072432), [All aircraft, 109 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036030/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: use of available resources](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063035): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172L, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063035/cases.md?model=2072432), [All aircraft, 41 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063035/cases.md) - [Knowledge: knowledge of procedures](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02032010): Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172L, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02032010/cases.md?model=2072432), [All aircraft, 41 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02032010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Taxi-from runway: Navigation error](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/280) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172L, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/280/sequence.md?model=2072432), [All aircraft, 21 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/280/sequence.md) - [Taxi-from runway: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200); cases with it: [Cessna 172L, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md?model=2072432), [All aircraft, 618 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot said that after landing he was attempting to taxi to another nearby airport to park and was confused by the taxi instructions given by the airport ground controller. He inadvertently taxied onto a roadway and that the setting sun, which was in his eyes, caused him not to see a warning sign on the right side of the roadway; the airplane's right wing then struck the sign. The pilot had exited the runway's parallel taxiway at midfield onto an airplane parking and fueling area. He taxied to a road transiting the parking area, and turned northwest on the road. The road narrowed at the boundary of the parking area and the pilot passed a "No Taxi" sign located on the left side of the road. The route from the runway to parking is along nonmovement areas, and progressive taxi instructions were thus not available. An interactive airport web site with detailed parking information and taxi diagrams was available on the internet. The appropriate route was to proceed west on the parallel taxiway to the taxilane which crosses the road taken by the pilot. The sign the airplane hit had flashing amber lights and warned of the taxilane crossing. A review of the published Federal Aviation Administration Alaska airports supplement for taxi instructions at the airport revealed the "taxiway is a joint use taxi/road and is used by motor vehicles/bicycles/joggers and tour buses." ## Factual narrative On July 17, 2009, about 2200 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna 172L airplane, N7136Q, sustained substantial damage during taxi on the nonmovement area of Lakeshore Drive, Lake Hood Strip, Anchorage, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by the airline transport pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, when the accident occurred. The airline transport pilot and sole passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a VFR flight plan was filed. The flight departed Homer, Alaska, about 2045. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on July 19, the pilot said that he was confused by the taxi instructions given by the airport ground controller, and inadvertently taxied onto a roadway. While proceeding on the roadway, he said the setting sun, which was in his eyes, caused him not to see an aircraft crossing sign on the right side of the roadway. He said he struck the sign with the right wing. The pilot said there were no known mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing during the accident. An examination of the accident site by the IIC, showed that the pilot exited the runway's parallel taxiway at midfield into an airplane parking and fueling area. He taxied to a road transiting the parking area, and went northwest on the road. The road narrowed as it exited the boundary of the parking area. At the boundary of the parking area, the pilot passed a "No Taxi" sign on the left side of the road. Additional Information The pilot landed at Lake Hood Strip (Z41) with the expectation of parking his airplane near the terminal at Ted Stevens International Airport (PANC). Although the aerodrome appears to be a single large airport complex, it is three separate airport facilities. A pilot landing at the Lake Hood Strip (Z41), would have to exit the strip boundaries and taxi across Lake Hood Seaplane (LHD) perimeter and park at Alpha transient wheel parking. The route from Lake Hood Strip to Alpha parking is classified by the airports as nonmovement area that is not under the ground controller's jurisdiction, and thus progressive taxi instructions by ground control were not available. The State of Alaska, Department of Transportation, did maintain an interactive airport web site with detailed diagrams available on the Internet. On the site, Lake Hood has a general aviation parking section with information about parking and printable PDF diagrams of the airport. The site also suggests that transient pilots telephone for information before arriving at the airport. The appropriate taxi route from Lake Hood Strip to Alpha parking is to go west on the parallel taxiway to the Lakeshore Taxilane, which crosses the road taken by the pilot. The sign the airplane hit had flashing amber lights, and warned of the Lakeshore Taxilanecrossing. In the immediate area where the accident pilot exited the runway's parallel taxiway, there is transient aircraft parking, and a taxi cab stand with a telephone. A review of PANC tower facility tapes revealed that the pilot did advise he was unfamiliar with the airport, and he was told to taxi northwest around Lake Hood to parking near the base of the tower. A review of the FAA Alaska airports supplement, under the Lake Hood Strip airport, noted the "taxiway around Lake Hood is a joint use taxi/road and is used by motor vehicles/bicycles/joggers and tour buses." The supplement does not diagram the route. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7136Q](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7136Q), registered now, S/N 17260436, built 1972 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172L - Registry model: [Cessna 172L](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172l) (registry code 2072432) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17260436 - Airframe hours: 4659 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320 SERIES 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Smokey Bay AIr, doing business as Smokey Bay Air - Registered owner: Mccann Michelle K - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 5, 2009 - Departed: HOM, Homer, AK - Destination: Z41, Anchorage, AK - Flight plan: Unknown - Airport: Z41, Lake Hood Strip, runway 31, 2,200 × 70 ft, gravel ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 46; injuries: none; commercial, airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 8, 2009; seat: right; flight hours: 7,800 total, 200 in this make and model, 4,000 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 6,500 ft broken - Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 46 °F - Altimeter: 29.88 inHg ## 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 20090717047959A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090717047959A), Jul 17, 2009: Cessna 172L, Anchorage, AK, Substantial damage. After landing at the Lake Hood Strip the pilot received taxi instructions to transient parking. The pilot being unfamiliar with lake Hood proceeded to taxi… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 26, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74327. 1.4 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 887 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40330345&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Taxi Diagrams (item 2, .PDF, 556 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40330346&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Taxi%20Diagrams-Master.PDF 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.