Piper PA32R N5544F

Summary

On 21 March 2019 at about 17:45 local time, a Piper PA32R registered N5544F, operated by Yute Commuter Service, was involved in an accident near Atmautluak, Alaska, United States. 5 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

21 March 2019 at 17:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Atmautluak, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Atmautluak (4A2)

Coordinates

60.8639, -162.2739

Aircraft

Piper PA32R

Registration

N5544F

Category

Airplane

Year built

1976

Engines

1

Operator

Yute Commuter Service

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bethel → Atmautluak

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

Unk

Light

Not Reported

NTSB number

GAA19CA174

Nobody was injured.

The airplane's encounter with a snow-covered pothole during taxi.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, while taxiing to the runway for departure, he felt a "large bump." The pilot immediately shut down the engine and inspected the airplane. He identified damage to the right wing and landing gear. The pilot further reported that he inspected the taxiway after he saw the airplane's damage and noted that the large bump he felt was due to the right landing gear's encounter with a snow-covered pothole. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.