Fairbanks International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fairbanks, Alaska 99708
Tuesady, July 30, 2002 13:40 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A Cessna 172 airplane sustained substantial damage during an on-ground collision with a Piper PA-31 airplane, as the Cessna was taxiing for takeoff, and the Piper was taxiing to park. The Piper was not damaged. The pilot of the Cessna reported that he was taxiing northbound on taxiway Delta, en route to runway 19L. He said that as he passed the intersection with taxiway Romeo, a Piper that was turning left from Romeo onto taxiway Delta, struck the aft portion of his airplane's left wing. He said that in an attempt to avoid the collision, he applied full right rudder, and heavy braking, but the right propeller of the converging Piper struck the left wing of his Cessna . The Piper pilot stated that while making a left turn from taxiway Romeo onto taxiway Delta, she heard one of her passengers seated in the rear and on the right side of the airplane yell: "To your right, to your right." Subsequently, the right propeller of the taxiing Piper struck the Cessna's left wing. Both pilots commented that construction activity in the area complicated taxi operations. Both pilots acknowledged that the area in which the collision took place was considered "uncontrolled" by FAA air traffic ground controllers.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of both pilots to maintain adequate visual outlook while taxiing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/30/2002
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1340
Event Time Zone --
Event City Fairbanks
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99708
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? Yes
Event Location Latitude 644800N
Event Location Longitude 1475100W
Event Location Airport Fairbanks International
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PAFA
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 434
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 13537
NTSB Notification Source ANC FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date Jul 30 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 1 2003 9:44AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Fairbanks FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N3527U N739PB
NTSB Number ANC02LA086A ANC02LA086B
Missing Aircraft Indicator -- --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR None
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes No
Damage None Substantial
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper Cessna
Aircraft Model PA-31-350 172
Aircraft Series Identifier -- --
Aircraft Serial Number 31-7952141 17270687
Certified Max Gross Weight 7368 2300
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 10 4
Number of Engines 2 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 19 2002 12:00AM Aug 9 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 57.6 22
Airframe Hours 21008.4 2742
ELT Installed Yes Yes
ELT Activated No No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No No
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name WARBELOW'S AIR VENTURES INC Arthur B. Quackenbush
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O.Box 60649 P.O.Box 82030
Aircraft Owner City Fairbanks Fairbanks
Aircraft Owner State AK AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99706 99701
Operator is an individual? No No
Operator Name -- --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address -- --
Operator City -- --
Operator State -- --
Operator Country -- --
Operator Zip code -- --
Operator Code WVBA --
Owner has at least one certificate -- None
Other Operator of large aircraft? -- --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation -- --
Operator Certificate Number -- --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) -- Personal
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event No Yes
Departure Airport Code TAL FAI
Departure City Tanana Fairbanks
Departure State AK AK
Departure Country USA USA
Departure Time 1255 1340
Departure Time Zone ADT ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code FAI FAI
Destination City Fairbanks Fairbanks
Destination State AK AK
Destination Country USA USA
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi - from landing Taxi - to takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? Yes No
Evacuation occurred No No
Date of most recent change to record May 8 2003 1:12PM May 8 2003 1:12PM
User who most recently changed record PETL PETL
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location -- --
Runway Length -- --
Runway Width -- --
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --