- Date
- July 14, 1993, 12:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Circle Hot Spri, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N4946MPiper PA-20
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19930714023789A
- Case key
- 2379
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 failure to maintain directional control during taxi. Factor is the rough/rutted condition of the airstrip.
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
According to the pilot-in-command he felt there was a rock jammed in the left brake or wheel because during his taxi he felt the left wheel dragging. He added power and the airplane taxied over some ruts at the same time. The airplane made a quick turn and left the side of the runway striking a tree.
Factual narrative
On July 14, 1993, at 1230 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Piper PA-20 airplane, N4946M, registered to and operated by the Pilot-in-Command, ran off the runway and struck a tree at Circle Hot Springs Airstrip, Circle Hot Springs, Alaska, while taxiing for takeoff. The personal flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 91 was taxiing for takeoff at Circle Hot Springs and the destination was Fairbanks, Alaska. A visual flight rules flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The airplane was substantially damaged and the Pilot-in-Command and his passenger were not injured.
According to the Pilot-in-Command during a telephone interview right after the accident, he felt the left wheel dragging during taxi and he added power. The airplane made a quick turn and ran off the side of the runway. According to the NTSB Form 6120.1/2 submitted by the Pilot-in-Command, he suspected that a rock had been jammed in the brake or wheel on the left side. He also stated that the wheels hit some ruts when he added power. He did not describe the width or depth of the ruts.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4946M
- Reported as
- Piper PA-20
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20-637
- Airframe hours
- 2,490
- Engine
- Lycoming O-290-D, 125 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Garbowski, Henry
- Registered owner
- Henry & Sandra Garbowski
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 1, 1992 · 18 hours before
- Destination
- FAI · Fairbanks, AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- CHP · Circle Hot Springs
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
- 45
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 170 total · 45 in this make and model · 170 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °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 N4946M · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.