Hughes Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hughes, Alaska 99745
Thursday, December 15, 2011 13:00 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The operator reported that, after loading the airplane, the pilot started to taxi, and the left engine's propeller struck a piece of baggage that was left on the ramp after a prior flight. The propeller picked up the baggage and threw it onto the upper left side of the fuselage, resulting in substantial damage.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot did not clear the area surrounding the airplane prior to taxi, resulting in the airplane contacting a piece of baggage.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/15/2011
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City Hughes
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99745
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 660221N
Event Location Longitude 1541653W
Event Location Airport Hughes
Event Location Nearest Airport ID HUS
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
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 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 20
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 30
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 29639
NTSB Notification Source Operator
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 22 2012 10:29AM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9FW
NTSB Number ANC12CA015
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-31-350
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 31-7405468
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 8
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Oct 17 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 35
Airframe Hours 18175
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C126
Aircraft Owner Name WRIGHT AIR SERVICE INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City FAIRBANKS
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99706-0142
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name WRIGHT AIR SERVICE INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City FAIRBANKS
Operator State AK
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 99706-0142
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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) --
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code FAI
Departure City Fairbanks
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 942
Departure Time Zone AST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code HUS
Destination City Hughes
Destination State AK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 10 2012 4:33PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --