On July 3, 2005, a Cessna 207A (registration N39AK) operated by Wings OF Alaska was involved in an aviation accident near Excursion Inlet, AK. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from a building while back-taxiing, which resulted in a collision with the structure. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A commercial pilot on an air taxi flight struck a building with his left wing while attempting to clear the runway for an arriving aircraft, resulting in structural damage.
What happened
The incident occurred at a remote airstrip involving a commercial pilot operating an on-demand air taxi flight. The pilot was engaged in back-taxiing operations along the strip when he observed another airplane approaching on short final for landing.
In an effort to quickly clear the landing area for the arriving aircraft, the pilot initiated a turn. However, this maneuver was executed too close to a small building situated near the airstrip. As a result of the tight turn, the left wing of the aircraft struck the structure, sustaining structural damage to that wing.
The investigation
The primary finding from the examination of the event is the physical contact between the aircraft and the stationary object. The impact resulted in structural damage specifically to the left wing of the aircraft involved in the operation.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from a building while back-taxiing, which resulted in a collision with the structure.