Cessna 180 accident near Soldotna, Alaska, March 22, 2001
On March 22, 2001 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N1702C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Soldotna, Alaska (Soldotna 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The private pilot/student's inadequate compensation for crosswind conditions and subsequent loss of directional control of the airplane during a touch and go, and the instructor pilot's inadequate supervision of the flight. Factors in the accident were a crosswind, and the student's lack of total experience in the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 22, 2001 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Soldotna, Alaska · Soldotna · 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
- N1702C · registry record · serial 30402
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial certificated pilot/flight instructor was providing crosswind instruction to his private pilot certificated daughter, who occupied the left seat of the airplane. During a touch and go, the private pilot applied engine power for departure. The instructor said a left crosswind had been gusting to about 15 knots. As the airplane accelerated for takeoff, it began to veer off the right side of the runway. The instructor said he was unable to prevent the airplane from colliding with several trees along the right side of the runway. The airplane received damage to the wings, landing gear, and fuselage. Fifteen minutes before the accident, an automated weather observation system (AWOS) at the airport was reporting winds at 9 knots, with gusts to 15 knots. The private pilot/student had accrued a total flight time of 115 hours, of which 55 hours were pilot-in-command. Her experience in the accident airplane was a total of 19 hours, with 11 hours as pilot-in-command.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 4,080 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 56 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 3,870 as pilot in command; 210 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 22, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 115 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 55 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 22, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,051 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, May 19, 2000; 107 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PASX Soldotna AK at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 07, 5,000 ft by 130 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 027° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 23°F (-5°C), dew point -4°F (-20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.30 inHg
- Observation at 5:35 pm from PASX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 ANC01LA042.