Cessna 172 and Cessna 207 accident near Anchorage, Alaska, June 10, 1992
On June 10, 1992 at about 9:36 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 172 (N61670) and Cessna 207 (N7392U), were involved in the same accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Merrill Field). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOK OUT BY THE PILOT'S OF BOTH AIRCRAFT. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE EXCESSIVE TAXI SPEED BY THE PILOT OF THE CESSNA 172.
INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOK OUT BY THE PILOT OF BOTH AIRCRAFT. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S DIVERTED ATTENTION, THE OTHER MOVING AIRCRAFT/OBJECT (C 172), AND THE EXCESSIVE TAXI SPEED OF THE C 172.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 10, 1992 · about 9:36 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Merrill Field · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N61670 · registry record · serial 17264717
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 207 · all 207s on the register
- Registration
- N7392U · registry record · serial 20700435
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172 final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE TAXIING ON THE TAXIWAY IN PREPARATION FOR TAKEOFF THE CESSNA 172 COLLIDED WITH A CESSNA 207 WHICH WAS JUST GETTING ONTO THE TAXIWAY FROM ITS COMPANY RAMP. BOTH AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN CLEARED TO TAXI TO THE SAME RUNWAY FOR TAKEOFF. BOTH PILOTS SAID THEY DID NOT SEE EACH OTHER IN TIME TO AVOID THE COLLISION. TWO CONTROL TOWER OPERATORS STATED THAT THE CESSNA 172 WAS TAXIING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED.
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 207 final · quoted from the NTSB record
JUST AS THE CESSNA 207 WAS GETTING ONTO THE TAXIWAY FROM ITS COMPANY RAMP IT COLLIDED WITH A CESSNA 172. BOTH AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN CLEARED TO TAXI TO THE SAME RUNWAY FOR TAKEOFF. BOTH PILOTS SAID THEY DID NOT SEE EACH OTHER IN TIME TO AVOID THE COLLISION. TWO CONTROL TOWER OPERATORS STATED THAT THE CESSNA 172 WAS TAXIING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED.
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 Cessna 172 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 1,445 hours in all; 840 in this make and model; 54 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 1,393 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,072 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1992; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MRI at 4:36 pm
- Destination: BGQ Big Lake AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 80 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:39 pm from MRI, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Cessna 207 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: 10,000 hours in all; 7,000 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 9,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,756 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 2, 1992; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Spernak Airways, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: MRI at 4:36 pm
- Destination: 9AK4 Tyonek AK
- Runway 0
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.