Piper PA-31-350 and Cessna 172 accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, July 30, 2002
On July 30, 2002 at about 9:40 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Piper PA-31-350 (N3527U) and Cessna 172 (N739PB), were involved in the same accident near Fairbanks, Alaska (Fairbanks International airport). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of both pilots to maintain adequate visual outlook while taxiing.
The failure of both pilots to maintain adequate visual outlook while taxiing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 30, 2002 · about 9:40 pm local time
- Place
- Fairbanks, Alaska · Fairbanks International · 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-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N3527U · registry record · serial 31-7952141
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N739PB · registry record · serial 17270687
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-31-350 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A Cessna 172 airplane sustained substantial damage during an on-ground collision with a Piper PA-31 airplane, as the Cessna was taxiing for takeoff, and the Piper was taxiing to park. The Piper was not damaged. The pilot of the Cessna reported that he was taxiing northbound on taxiway Delta, en route to runway 19L. He said that as he passed the intersection with taxiway Romeo, a Piper that was turning left from Romeo onto taxiway Delta, struck the aft portion of his airplane's left wing. He said that in an attempt to avoid the collision, he applied full right rudder, and heavy braking, but the right propeller of the converging Piper struck the left wing of his Cessna . The Piper pilot stated that while making a left turn from taxiway Romeo onto taxiway Delta, she heard one of her passengers seated in the rear and on the right side of the airplane yell: "To your right, to your right." Subsequently, the right propeller of the taxiing Piper struck the Cessna's left wing. Both pilots commented that construction activity in the area complicated taxi operations. Both pilots acknowledged that the area in which the collision took place was considered "uncontrolled" by FAA air traffic ground controllers.
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 172 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A Cessna 172 airplane sustained substantial damage during an on-ground collision with a Piper PA-31 airplane, as the Cessna was taxiing for takeoff, and the Piper was taxiing to park. The Piper was not damaged. The pilot of the Cessna reported that he was taxiing northbound on taxiway Delta, en route to runway 19L. He said that as he passed the intersection with taxiway Romeo, a Piper that was turning left from Romeo onto taxiway Delta, struck the aft portion of his airplane's left wing. He said that in an attempt to avoid the collision, he applied full right rudder, and heavy braking, but the right propeller of the converging Piper struck the left wing of his Cessna . The Piper pilot stated that while making a left turn from taxiway Romeo onto taxiway Delta, she heard one of her passengers seated in the rear and on the right side of the airplane yell: "To your right, to your right." Subsequently, the right propeller of the taxiing Piper struck the Cessna's left wing. Both pilots commented that construction activity in the area complicated taxi operations. Both pilots acknowledged that the area in which the collision took place was considered "uncontrolled" by FAA air traffic ground controllers.
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-31-350 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,850 hours in all; 275 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 1,375 as pilot in command; 400 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 16, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 21,008.4 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, July 19, 2002; 57.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,368 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TAL Tanana AK at 3:55 pm
- Destination: FAI Fairbanks AK
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
The factual record for the Cessna 172 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,400 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 2,200 as pilot in command; 500 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 16, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,742 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 9, 2001; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FAI Fairbanks AK at 4:40 pm
- Destination: FAI Fairbanks AK
- Flight plan: none
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N3527U the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC02LA086.