Piper PA-32 and Piper PA-32 accident near Bethel, Alaska, October 22, 2002
On October 22, 2002 at about 10:15 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Piper PA-32 (N76RL) and Piper PA-32 (N31657), were involved in the same accident near Bethel, Alaska (Bethel airport). No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of both pilot's to maintain a visual outlook during taxi operations on the ramp.
The failure of both pilot's to maintain a visual outlook during taxi operations on the ramp.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 22, 2002 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Bethel, Alaska · Bethel · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Piper PA-32 · all PA-32s on the register
- Registration
- N76RL · no longer on the register · serial 32-7540024
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
- Aircraft 2
- Piper PA-32 · all PA-32s on the register
- Registration
- N31657 · registry record · serial 32-7840139
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-32 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A Piper PA-32 airplane, N76RL, collided with a second Piper PA-32, N31657, as both airplanes were taxiing on the airport ramp. The operators of each of the two airplanes have adjacent loading areas on the ramp. The airline transport certificated pilot of the first Piper was preparing to depart on a cargo flight. The airplane was parked at the operator's ramp area, being fueled by a fuel truck parked in front of the airplane. The fuel truck blocked the pilot's view of the ramp. The fuel truck pulled away, and the pilot started the engine. He then applied engine power to begin a taxi from his parking spot. The pilot indicated he saw no other airplanes due to the high nose angle of his airplane. The commercial certificated pilot of the second Piper was taxiing from landing to the ramp area, headed for a parking spot adjacent to the first Piper. He did not see the first Piper due to the position of the fuel truck. As the second Piper was approaching its parking spot, the pilot began a right turn. At the same time, the fuel truck pulled away, revealing the first Piper pulling out of its parking spot. The pilot of the second Piper tightened his right turn, but the propeller of the first Piper sliced into the leading edge of the second Piper's left wing. The first Piper received minor damage and the second Piper received substantial damage.
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 Piper PA-32 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A Piper PA-32 airplane, N76RL, collided with a second Piper PA-32, N31657, as both airplanes were taxiing on the airport ramp. The operators of each of the two airplanes have adjacent loading areas on the ramp. The airline transport certificated pilot of the first Piper was preparing to depart on a cargo flight. The airplane was parked at the operator's ramp area, being fueled by a fuel truck parked in front of the airplane. The fuel truck blocked the pilot's view of the ramp. The fuel truck pulled away, and the pilot started the engine. He then applied engine power to begin a taxi from his parking spot. The pilot indicated he saw no other airplanes due to the high nose angle of his airplane. The commercial certificated pilot of the second Piper was taxiing from landing to the ramp area, headed for a parking spot adjacent to the first Piper. He did not see the first Piper due to the position of the fuel truck. As the second Piper was approaching its parking spot, the pilot began a right turn. At the same time, the fuel truck pulled away, revealing the first Piper pulling out of its parking spot. The pilot of the second Piper tightened his right turn, but the propeller of the first Piper sliced into the leading edge of the second Piper's left wing. The first Piper received minor damage and the second Piper received substantial damage.
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-32 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PABE Bethel AK
- Destination: EEK Eek AK
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 142° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.26 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from PABE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Piper PA-32 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,500 hours in all; 99 in this make and model; 227 in the last 90 days; 58 in the last 30 days; 1,425 as pilot in command; 475 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 17, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,001 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 10, 2002; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RSH Russian Mission AK at 4:28 pm
- Destination: PABE Bethel AK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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 N76RL the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
1992-10-06ANC93LA005 · accident near Nightmute, AK · substantial damage · no injuries
1992-02-04ANC92LA031 · accident near Tununak, AK · substantial damage · no injuries
1991-03-28ANC91LA040 · accident near Kasigluk, AK · substantial damage · no injuries
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.