Event ANC25LA016

2025-01-10 Fairbanks, Alaska, United States Airport · FAI None 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N59826

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

PIPER PA-31-350

Year of manufacture

1976 · 49 years old at event

Engine

LYCOMING TI0-540 SER (310 hp)

Seats / Engines

8 seats · 2 engines

Last airworthiness date

19760324

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S A7BDDC

Registrant of record

AIR ARCTIC INC

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N59826 Piper PA-31-350 None

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s failure to recognize that an automated taxiway gate was closing, and the pilot’s failure stop for the closing gate.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that, while taxiing through an automated airport taxiway gate, the gate closed on the airplane which resulted in substantial damage to the right aileron. An airport surveillance video showed the airport taxiway gate closing, with warning lights that indicated a moving gate illuminated, and the accident airplane continuing to taxi towards the closing gate. The accident airplane then impacts the closing gate with its right wingtip and left wing leading edge. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).

— Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Identification/recognition-Pilot
— Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot
— Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Fence/fence post-Contributed to outcome
— Environmental issues-Operating environment-Airport facilities/design-(general)-Contributed to outcome
— Organizational issues-Management-Policy/procedure-Availability of policy/proc-Airport
— Organizational issues-Management-Policy/procedure-Availability of policy/proc-Operator

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2025_ANC25LA016.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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