Cessna 172 accident near Anchorage, Alaska, August 20, 2016
On August 20, 2016 at about 8:00 pm local time, a 2001 Cessna 172, registered N35408, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi near Anchorage, Alaska (Elmendorf Afb airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The facility's designation of the taxiway for use by maintenance personnel to conduct high thrust tests without appropriate safeguards in place, which led to maintenance personnel conducting high-power, run-up thrust procedures across the active taxiway and resulted in the loss of directional control of a light, single-engine airplane on the taxiway when it encountered a sudden, unexpected blast of engine thrust.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 20, 2016 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Elmendorf Afb · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 R, built 2001 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N35408 · registry record · serial 17281081
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor of a light single-engine airplane reported that while he and the student pilot were on a taxiway under air traffic control (ATC) instruction, the airplane encountered prop wash, originating from a larger (four engine) turbine-powered airplane performing a maintenance engine(s) run-up. The maintenance run-up was performed in a location adjacent to the active taxiway that was authorized for parking as well as 80% engine(s) power run-ups. The larger turbine-powered airplane was the third in a row a five, of like model airplanes being parked at the location. The light single-engine airplane was not on frequency when the larger turbine-powered airplane was given the clearance, and was not told by ATC at any time during their taxi of the larger turbine-powered airplane's intentions. Subsequently, the light single-engine airplane was blown approximately 80 feet from its original location while taxing behind the larger turbine-powered airplane, which resulted in substantial damage to the firewall. The flight instructor reported that there were no pre impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. As a safety recommendation the flight instructor stated that the incident could have been prevented with better communications between the tower controllers and the larger turbine-powered airplane's ground personnel.
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 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Prop/jet/rotor blast/suction during taxi defining event
- Nose over/nose down during taxi
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Attain/maintain not possible
- cause Organizational issues › Development › Design › Policy/procedure development › Airport
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,154 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 3,230 as pilot in command; 3,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 20, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 12 hours in all; 12 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,047.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 24, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 5,099 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EDF Anchorage AK
- Destination: EDF Anchorage AK
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 7:58 pm from PAED
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on October 12, 2016. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N35408 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.