# NTSB ANC92IA030: Piper PA-31-T3, N314SC, Anchorage, AK, January 28, 1992

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: January 28, 1992, 09:25 local (13:25 UTC)
- Place: Anchorage, AK
- Coordinates: 70.09983, -149.869018 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=70.0998&lon=-149.8690&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 7 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report June 30, 1993
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office
- NTSB case key (mKey): 5657
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC92IA030
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/5657/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC92IA030

## Probable cause

THE PILOT'S CONTINUED TAXI AFTER BECOMING LOST OR DISORIENTED.  FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE WHITEOUT CONDITIONS CAUSED BY THE FRESHLY FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW AND THE INADEQUATE SNOW REMOVAL BY AIRPORT PERSONNEL.

## Analysis

THE PILOT LANDED ON RUNWAY 6R AND WAS CLEARED TO TAXI VIA TAXIWAY 'G'.  AFTER CLEARING THE RUNWAY, THE PILOT TURNED ONTO THE TAXIWAY AND CONTINUED ACROSS RUNWAY 6L ON THE SAME GROUND TRACK AS THE TAXIWAY BETWEEN THE TWO RUNWAYS. HOWEVER, TAXIWAY 'G' DOES NOT ALIGN WITH ITSELF ONCE REACHING THE NORTHWEST SIDE OF RUNWAY 6L.  THE PILOT STATED HE WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE TAXIWAY LIGHTS OR THE TAXIWAY SIGN AND CONSEQUENTLY TAXIED INTO A SNOWBANK.  THE VISIBILITY WAS AT LEAST 3/4 OF A MILE AND LOWER DUE TO TAXIING TURBOJET AIRCRAFT.  EXAMINATION OF THE TAXIWAY LIGHTS AND SIGN SHOWED THAT SOME OF THE TAXIWAY LIGHTS WERE OBSCURED BY THE SNOW DEPTH AND THE SIGN WAS NOT VISIBLE BECAUSE THERE WAS SNOW ADHERING TO THE FACE.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- On ground/water encounter with weather, taxi - from landing
  - weather condition - whiteout (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - snow (contributing factor)
  - airport snow removal - inadequate, airport personnel (contributing factor)
- On ground/water collision with object, taxi - from landing
  - became lost/disoriented - continued, pilot in command (cause)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N314SC](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N314SC-2006-12-21), registration cancelled 2006-12-21, S/N 31T-8275007, built 1982 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-31-T3
- Registry model: [Piper PA-31T3](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31t3) (registry code 7103128) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-60A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6a-60a) (registry code 52043, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 31T-8275007
- Airframe hours: 6396
- Engines: P&W PT6A-11 500 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: Minor damage
- Flight: Part 135
- Operator: South Central Air Inc.
- Registered owner: South Central Air Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, January 22, 1992, 17 hours before
- Departed: ENA, KENAI, AK
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: ANC, Anchorage International, runway 6, 10,900 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 33; commercial, foreign, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 2,956 total, 600 in this make and model, 2,750 as pilot in command, 270 in the last 90 days, 90 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day
- Wind: 60° at 4 knots
- Lowest ceiling: 1,800 ft overcast
- Temperature: 19 °F, dew point 18 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: ANC, 1 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Incident 19920128005889I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19920128005889I), Jan 28, 1992: Piper PA31T3, Anchorage, AK, Minor damage. Pilot taxied into a snowbank on north side of runway after landing. Pilot had problem with blowing snow.

## Other investigations on N314SC (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ANC98LA010](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA010), Nov 11, 1997: Piper PA-31-T3 (N314SC), Tyonek, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: An on-ground collision with an animal (moose). Factors in the accident were night VFR conditions that restricted the pilot's visual lookout, and the lack of an airport perimeter fence.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date; 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.