Cessna 180 accident near Sterling, Alaska, September 8, 2000
On September 8, 2000 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N2347C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sterling, Alaska (Dutch Landing Strip airport). It was a personal 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 pilot's failure to attain clearance from trees during takeoff from a touch-and-go landing. A factor associated with the accident is the pilot's failure to attain a proper touchdown point.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 8, 2000 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Sterling, Alaska · Dutch Landing Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N2347C · no longer on the register · serial 30647
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that she was doing a touch-and-go landing on the 1,500 feet gravel runway. Immediately after touchdown, approximately 500-1000 foot beyond the landing threshold, the pilot applied power and initiated the takeoff. Shortly after becoming airborne, the airplane collided with trees and terrain approximately 50 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. No mechanical anomalies or failures were reported with the airplane that may have contributed to the accident.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all; 25 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2000; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ENA Kenai AK at 3:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 1,300 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:35 pm from SXQ, 9 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N2347C 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.