Cessna 172 accident near Skagway, Alaska, June 25, 2003
On June 25, 2003 at about 7:05 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N736QK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Skagway, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in an in-flight collision with mountainous terrain. Factors associated with the accident were low ceilings, rain, and fog.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 25, 2003 · about 7:05 pm local time
- Place
- Skagway, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N736QK · no longer on the register · serial R1722703
- 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 departed on a VFR cross-country flight over mountainous terrain. In order for the pilot to reach his destination, the flight would need to traverse a commonly used mountain pass. Prior to departure, the pilot obtained a weather briefing that included AIRMET's for mountain obscuration along the planned route of flight. The Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) briefer advised that there were no pilot weather reports available for the area around the mountain pass. The AFSS specialist added that weather conditions, specifically in mountain passes, were forecast to deteriorate, with marginal VFR conditions, low ceilings, rain, and fog. A road maintenance crew working on a portion of the highway near the accident site, reported low clouds, fog, and reduced visibility in the area just before the accident, and they elected to stop working due to safety concerns associated with deteriorating weather conditions. One witness reported that while sitting in his vehicle, waiting for weather conditions to improve, he heard what sounded like a low flying airplane headed towards him. He said that as he looked up, he saw the accident airplane fly out of a cloud, headed north, and parallel to the east side of the valley. As the airplane continued, he heard it "clip the side of the mountain." After the airplane contacted the mountain, the wings rocked back-and-forth, and the airplane once again entered a cloudbank. He said that just after he lost sight of the airplane for the second time, the engine speed increased significantly, followed by the sound of the airplane impacting terrain. Postaccident inspection of the airplane disclosed no evidence of any preaccident mechanical anomalies.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,398 hours in all; 72 in the last 90 days; 53 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: November 2, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,107 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 4, 2003; 72 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-360-K-C-KB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JUN Juneau AK at 1:31 pm
- Destination: CYXY Whitehorse
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from PAGY, 12 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.
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.