- Date
- November 25, 1996, 14:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place
- Anchorage, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N63414Cessna 150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19961125036579A
- Case key
- 2952
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
failure of the pilot to maintain adequate distance from an airport sign, while taxiing on an unfamiliar airport.
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, the sole occupant, landed at an alternate airport from his intended destination. The flight was the conclusion of a cross-country instructional flight, and the pilot was unfamiliar with the field. While taxiing to parking, the right wing struck an airport warning sign. The airplane received damage to the right wing spar and outboard rib.
Factual narrative
On November 25, 1996, about 1415 Alaska standard time, a wheel equipped Cessna 150, N63414, collided with an airport warning sign while taxiing from landing at Lake Hood Strip, Anchorage, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country instructional flight when the accident occurred. The airplane, registered to Aero Tech Air Services Inc., Anchorage, sustained substantial damage. The certificated private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at the Kenai Municipal airport, Kenai, Alaska, at 1320.
On November 25, 1996, at 1455, the pilot reported in a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) that he was practicing for his commercial pilot certificate and intended to land at Merrill Field. Low fog conditions required the flight to divert to Lake Hood. The pilot landed on runway 31 and was taxiing to parking when the right wing struck an airport warning sign.
The pilot indicated he was unfamiliar with the Lake Hood Strip.
Damage to the right wing spar and outboard rib was confirmed on December 3, 1996, by the NTSB IIC.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N63414
- Reported as
- Cessna 150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15077296
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Aero Tech Flight Service Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- ENA · Kenai, AK
- Destination
- Z41
- Airport
- Z41 · Lake Hood Strip
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
- 20
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 5 °F, dew point 3 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LHD
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 N63414 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.