- Date
- June 20, 1992, 23:30 local (Jun 21, 1992, 07:30 UTC)
- Place
- Kantishna, AK
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N7850HPiper PA-12
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report September 28, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19920620021589A
- Case key
- 5748
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 in command's excessive taxi speed. Factors relating to the accident were the crosswind and dusk light 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 reported strong crosswinds and stated he was taxiing for takeoff on the airstrip at about 45 miles per hour when the left wing tip struck trees. The pilot had a restriction on his pilot certificate prohibiting night flight and the accident occurred during dusk. The sun's elevation was -3.5 degrees below the horizon.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7850H
- Reported as
- Piper PA-12
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-750
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Stephen And Gwen Mathis
- Registered owner
- Stephen And Gwen Mathis
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Unknown · January 2, 1900
- Departed
- 5Z5
- Destination
- FAI · Fairbanks, AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- 5Z5 · Kantishna
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
- 41
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 100° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F
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 N7850H · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.