- Date
- April 13, 1997, 15:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Koyuk, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N53817Bellanca 7GCBC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 4, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19970413005989A
- Case key
- 2995
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's inadequate compensation for the gusty crosswind conditions. Factors associated with the accident were the winds gusts and crosswind.
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 he was taxiing his ski equipped airplane in gusty crosswind conditions after landing at an off airport site. A strong gust of wind pushed the airplane sideways to the right. The right ski struck some ice, and the right main landing gear collapsed. The right wing subsequently struck the ground and received substantial damage.
Factual narrative
On April 13, 1997, about 1500 Alaska daylight time, a ski equipped Bellanca 7GCBC airplane, N53817, sustained substantial damage while taxiing from landing at an off airport site near Koyuk, Alaska. The solo airline transport certificated pilot was not injured. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight operated in visual meteorological conditions. The flight departed Ruby, Alaska, about 1200, and the destination was Koyuk.
The pilot reported he had landed near the village of Koyuk, and was taxiing in gusty crosswind conditions towards a parking area, when the wind pushed the airplane sideways, to the right. The right ski caught on some ice, and the right main landing gear collapsed. The right wing subsequently struck the ice, and received substantial damage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N53817
- Reported as
- Bellanca 7GCBC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 882-75
- Airframe hours
- 2,320
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Michael H. Quinn
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 26, 1997 · 150 hours before
- Departed
- Ruby, AK
- Flight plan
- Unknown
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
- 39
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 2,200 total · 2,100 in this make and model · 2,190 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 18 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 25 °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 N53817 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.