Cessna 180 accident near Skwentna, Alaska, November 9, 2003
On November 9, 2003 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N49JT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Skwentna, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing, which resulted in the airplane nosing over during the landing roll. A factor contributing to the accident was the presence of deep/soft snow.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 9, 2003 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Skwentna, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N49JT · registry record · serial 30834
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private certificated pilot was landing the tundra tire-equipped airplane at a remote area where he had landed in the past. The area was covered by what the pilot said he thought was about 3 inches of powder snow. During the landing roll, the airplane's tires sank in deep and crusty snow, which resulted in the airplane nosing over. The landing area was actually covered by about 14 inches of snow, not 3 inches. The airplane received structural damage to the wings, wing lift struts, and the vertical stabilizer.
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: 1,881 hours in all; 520 in this make and model; 1,760 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 17, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,872 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 10, 2002; 235 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470MCK (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BGQ Big Lake AK at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 N49JT 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.