Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control while taxiing, which resulted in the airplane contacting a snow berm and nosing down. Factors associated with the accident were the snow and ice covered runway, and excessive taxispeed.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
On April 6, 2007, about 1330 Alaska daylight time, a tailwheel-equipped, Cessna 150 airplane, N6363G, sustained substantial damage when it collided with a snow berm following a loss of control while taxiing from landing at the Willow Airport, Willow, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by the student pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) supervised solo flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The solo student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on April 10, the student pilot said he had completed three supervised solo landings, and was taxiing to the ramp to pickup his instructor. He said the runway and taxiway were covered with hard packed snow and ice, and that he was taxiing too fast. The airplane veered to the left, and he applied right rudder and pulled the power off. He reported the airplane rotated to the right, striking the left wing on the ground, and then rotated again, striking the right wing. He said the airplane exited the left side of the runway, struck a snow berm, and nosed down.
On April 10, during a telephone conversation with the IIC, the flight instructor said after making three solo landings, the student applied too much power while taxiing to the ramp, and lost directional control. The instructor said the runway was covered with hard packed snow and ice, the temperature was about 32 degrees F, visibility was greater than 20 miles, and the wind was calm.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ANC07LA028