- Date
- March 13, 2017, 19:40 local (Mar 14, 2017, 03:40 UTC)
- Place
- Anchorage, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N3654MPiper PA 12
- Defining event
- Taxi-from runway: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 15, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170313017812A
- Case key
- 94868
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 failure to maintain directional control during the taxi on skis on hard-packed snow in gusting wind conditions.
Findings · 6
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot of the wheel/ski-equipped airplane reported that, after landing on skis and during the taxi on hard-packed snow, a wind gust pushed the airplane, and the left wing impacted a parked, unoccupied airplane. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and left wing lift strut. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located on the airport revealed that, about 13 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 360° at 12 knots, gusting to 20 knots.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the wheel-ski equipped airplane reported that after landing on skis, during the taxi on hard packed snow, a gust of wind pushed the airplane and the left wing impacted a parked, unoccupied airplane. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and left wing lift strut. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that about 13 minutes after the accident the wind was 360° at 12 knots, gusting 20 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3654M
- Reported as
- Piper PA 12 (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-2526
- Built
- 1947
- Airframe hours
- 2,500
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 15, 2016
- Departed
- NONE · Talkeetna, AK
- Destination
- MRI · Anchorage, AK
- Airport
- MRI · Merrill Field
- Equipment
- Satellite tracking device, Handheld GPS
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
- 69
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 4, 2016
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,500 total · 300 in this make and model · 1,500 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 12 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 27 °F, dew point -2 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.48 inHg
- Observed at
- PAMR
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 4, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.3 MB in all.
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 N3654M · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.