Piper PA-14 and Cessna 150M accident near Anchorage, Alaska, December 17, 2000
On December 17, 2000 at about 2:45 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Piper PA-14 (N5178H) and Cessna 150M (N6414K), were involved in the same accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Merrill Field). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's delayed remedial action during the landing roll, and subsequent on-ground collision with another airplane. Factors in the accident were the student pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane, and the lack of brake pedals at the flight instructor's station.
The delayed remedial action by the pilot/instructor of another airplane during landing. Factors in the accident were the failure of the pilot of another airplane to maintain directional control, and the lack of available brakes to the pilot/instructor of another airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 17, 2000 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Merrill Field · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Piper PA-14 · all PA-14s on the register
- Registration
- N5178H · registry record · serial 14-200
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N6414K · registry record · serial 150-77690
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-14 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot/owner of a tailwheel-equipped Piper airplane was receiving instruction in touch and go landings from a commercial certificated pilot/flight instructor. During the fourth landing, the student, who occupied the left seat, performed a wheel landing. The airplane began to drift slightly to the left of the centerline, and the student corrected the drift. According the Piper airplane instructor, the airplane encountered a sudden left crosswind. While still rolling on the main landing gear tires, the airplane began to slide on the runway surface to the right. The student pilot added full engine power to abort the landing. The flight instructor, who occupied the right seat, announced that he had the flight controls of the airplane, and attempted to regain control by holding left aileron and left rudder. When the instructor realized the airplane would not become airborne before departing the runway, he pulled the engine power to idle. The airplane continued to slide to the right, across a snow-covered grass area, and collided with a Cessna airplane that was taxiing southbound on a parallel taxiway. The Piper airplane did not have brakes installed at the flight instructor's station. Both airplanes received damage to their respective right wings and fuselage. The reported wind was variable at 5 knots.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 150M final · quoted from the NTSB record
A student pilot, accompanied by a commercial certificated pilot/flight instructor, had completed a training flight in a Cessna airplane, and were taxiing southbound on a taxiway that paralleled the active runway. A tailwheel Piper airplane that was landing to the north, departed the right side of the active runway and collided with the Cessna on the taxiway. Both airplanes received damage to their respective right wings and fuselage. The wind conditions were variable at 5 knots.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record for the Piper PA-14 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 503 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 430 as pilot in command; 184 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,798 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 16, 2000; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,850 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAMR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 2,640 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,500 ft; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from PAM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
The factual record for the Cessna 150M from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 710 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 675 as pilot in command; 450 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,174 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 30, 2000; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAMR at 1:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.