Piper PA-32-300 N38186

Summary

On 26 February 1998 at about 12:40 local time, a Piper PA-32-300 registered N38186 was involved in an accident near Naknek, Alaska, United States. 7 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 February 1998 at 12:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Naknek, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Naknek (5NK)

Coordinates

58.7991, -156.9000

Aircraft

Piper PA-32-300

Registration

N38186

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

South Naknek → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dawn

NTSB number

ANC98LA023

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate visual lookout. Factors in the accident were flat lighting conditions, and inadequate airport facilities.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot had landed on the east/west runway at the rural airport, and was back-taxiing to a ramp/roadway area. The ramp area is 'L' shaped, and located between the approach end of the east/west runway, and the approach end of a second, northwest/southeast runway. The pilot was planning to stop the airplane near a waiting school bus that was parked in the ramp area. Movement through the area is not controlled. A second airplane was waiting in the same ramp area to taxi to a fuel pump. Its engine was running at idle power. The pilot of the second airplane reported he planned to wait until the accident airplane was clear of the runway before proceeding, and did not intend to fly. The pilot of the accident airplane taxied into the ramp area, but did not see the second airplane. The pilot of the accident airplane reported that flat light conditions made it difficult to see the second airplane that was painted white and blue. The left wing of the accident airplane collided with the turning propeller of the second airplane. The Alaska Airport/Facility Directory contains remarks about the airport that include the airport is unattended. It says, in part: 'The runway condition is not monitored. Uncontrolled vehicular traffic on runways. No line of sight between runways or waterways. Aircraft on east side of runway 14/32 may be in safety area.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.