Probable cause
The pilot's failure to determine that the ice that he was taxiing on was safe for operation.
NTSB analysis
The pilot reported that he had just landed his tail wheel-equipped airplane on a frozen lake. During the taxi to his cabin, both of the airplane's main landing gear wheels broke through overflow ice, and the airplane nosed over, sustaining substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation, and that the accident could have been prevented had he called a local lodge owner to check the conditions of the ice before landing.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ANC14CA017 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Mar 2, 2014
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Alegnagik, Alaska
- Highest injury
- Minor
- Minor injuries
- 1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Silvaire LUSCOMBE 8E
- N-number
- N2542K
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 1947
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.