Cessna 180 accident near Clarks Point, Alaska, November 14, 2000
On November 14, 2000 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N1681C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Clarks Point, Alaska (Clark'S Point airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
The pilot's excessive application of the brakes during landing roll. Factors associated with the accident were water on the runway, low tire pressure, a sheared tire valve stem, and a fractured landing gear axle.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 14, 2000 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Clarks Point, Alaska · Clark'S Point · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N1681C · registry record · serial 30381
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certificated private pilot was landing a tundra tire equipped airplane, on a gravel-covered runway that had about 2 or 3 inches of standing water stretching lengthwise along the right side of the runway. During the landing roll, as the right main wheel entered the water, the pilot applied the brakes, and the right wheel began to hydroplane and stop turning. As the airplane continued down the runway, the right wheel exited the standing water, and contacted the gravel surface of the runway. The pilot explained that the force of the non-rotating wheel contacting the gravel runway sheared the right tire's valve stem, and the right tire instantly deflated. The deflated right tire 'grabbed' and the right axle broke. The right wing struck the runway and sustained substantial damage to the leading edge, and main spar. In his written report to the NTSB, the pilot wrote: 'The air pressure in the tire may have been a little low, due to the cold weather we had earlier.'
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 8,000 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,826 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2000; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5NK Naknek AK at 2:00 pm
- Destination: CLP Clarks Point AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 2,600 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC01LA019.