# NTSB ANC95LA043: Cessna 180A, N9736B, Bethel, AK, April 15, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 14, 1995, 18:00 local (Apr 15, 1995, 02:00 UTC) - Place: Bethel, AK - Coordinates: 60.809997, -161.849884 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=60.8100&lon=-161.8499&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 24, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 2640 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC95LA043 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/2640/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC95LA043 ## Probable cause THE CESSNA PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT CLEARANCE FROM THE TRANSPORT AIRPLANE WHILE TAXIING, AND THE GROUND PERSONNEL'S INADEQUATE LOOKOUT WHILE MARSHALLING THE TRANSPORT AIRPLANE FROM THE RAMP. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Propeller blast or jet exhaust/suction, taxi - from landing - clearance - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - visual lookout - inadequate, ground personnel (cause) - Nose down, taxi - from landing ## Analysis THE CESSNA WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT NOSED DOWN AFTER ENCOUNTERING JET BLAST FROM A BOEING 737 THAT INITIATED TAXI FOR TAKEOFF. RAMP PERSONNEL MARSHALLING THE 737 FROM THE RAMP STATED THAT THE CESSNA WAS NOT OBSERVED UNTIL AFTER THE 737 MOVED AHEAD ABOUT 10 FEET AND STARTED TURNING TO THE RIGHT TOWARD THE TAXIWAY. THE RAMP PERSONNEL NOTED THAT THE CESSNA WAS WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE AIRLINE'S MARKED PERIMETER AREA AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. ## Factual narrative On April 14, 1995, about 1800 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna 180A airplane, N9736B, sustained substantial damage while taxiing to parking after landing at the Bethel Airport, Bethel, Alaska. The solo airline transport certificated pilot was not injured. The airplane was owned by the pilot and operated by Kusko Aviation, and was operating in visual meteorological conditions as a 14 CFR Part 91 positioning flight. The pilot reported he was taxiing behind a parked Mark Air 737-200 airplane while en route to the parking ramp for Kusko Aviation. He said as he approached the Mark Air jet, the jet accelerated away from the parking ramp to begin taxi for takeoff. The resulting exhaust thrust from the jet struck the Cessna, and the Cessna nosed down, damaging the propeller, cowl, left aileron and left wing tip. The flight crew of the Mark Air jet were facing away from the Cessna, and were unaware of the accident. A Mark Air employee who was marshalling the 737 from parking stated that he was "moving the aircraft forward for about 7 to 10 feet then I started to turn the aircraft to my left. About five feet into the turn, I saw a small single-engine aircraft cross Mark Air's ramp going into their own ramp. That was when the single- engine's tail caught air and landing on his nose and left wing." The Mark Air airplane, N676MA, Flight 24, was operating as a 14 CFR Part 121 passenger flight, and was departing for Anchorage, Alaska, with two flight crew members, two flight attendants, and 67 passengers aboard. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9736B](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9736B), registered now, S/N 50034, built 1964 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 180A - Registry model: [Cessna 180A](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-180a) (registry code 2072604) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 50034 - Airframe hours: 4300 - Engines: CONTINENTAL O-470-K 230 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Positioning, Part 91 - Operator: Kusko Aviation - Registered owner: Alfred J. Daigneau - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, April 12, 1995, 8 hours before - Departed: ATT, ATMAUTLUK, AK - Destination: PABE - Flight plan: Company VFR - Airport: BET, Bethel ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 52; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 10,000 total, 1,000 in this make and model, 9,000 as pilot in command, 150 in the last 90 days, 50 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 70° at 11 knots - Visibility: 40 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 43 °F, dew point 28 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: BET ## 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 19950414009419A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950414009419A), Apr 14, 1995: Cessna 180A, Bethel, AK, Substantial damage. Taxiing to ramp got too close to plane as it accelerated to begin taxi for departure. Blown up on nose and wing. 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.