No fatalities

27 Mar 2014: CESSNA 180 — HENRY DAVID W — North Pole, AK

North Pole, AK, United States

On 27 Mar 2014, a CESSNA 180 UNDESIGNAT operated by HENRY DAVID W was involved in an aviation accident near North Pole, AK. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane while taxiing on a snow covered runway, which resulted in a collision with a terrain. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot taxiing a ski-equipped airplane to warm engine oil and polish frost lost directional control, striking trees and causing substantial damage. No mechanical anomalies were found.

Incident Overview

During pre-departure taxi operations on a hard-packed, snow-covered runway, the pilot of a ski-equipped airplane was performing back-and-forth movements. The purpose of this maneuver was to warm the engine oil and to polish any frost that might have accumulated on the underside of the skis.

Loss of Directional Control

On the final taxi pass, the airplane began to drift to the left. The pilot applied full right rudder and a short burst of full engine power in an attempt to correct the drift. Despite these inputs, the airplane continued its leftward movement and subsequently struck trees located along the edge of the runway.

Damage Assessment

The collision with the trees resulted in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage of the airplane. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Conclusion

The incident occurred during ground operations, with the airplane sustaining damage from impact with trees. No further details regarding the aircraft type, registration, or injuries were provided in the source.

Contributing factors

Causes

Directional control — Not attained/maintainedPilot

Other contributing factors

Effect on operationContributed to outcome