Cessna 172 accident near Girdwood, Alaska, January 25, 2004
On January 25, 2004 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N1361U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Girdwood, Alaska (Girdwood 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 delay in aborting the takeoff, which resulted in an overrun and collision with a snowbank. A factor in the accident was an inoperative airspeed indicator.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 25, 2004 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Girdwood, Alaska · Girdwood · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N1361U · no longer on the register · serial 17267032
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot was attempting to takeoff in his personal airplane from a snow and ice-covered, 2,100 foot long gravel runway. He reported that during the takeoff roll, he noted that the airspeed indicator was not functioning, and he elected to abort the takeoff. He was unable to stop the airplane prior to running off the end of the runway and colliding with a snowbank. The pilot stated that the pitot heat was turned on and functioning during the preflight inspection, taxi and run-up, and that the static port was clear. He indicated that the failure of the airspeed indicator may have been due to ice in the pitot-static system.
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
- Flight time: 282 hours in all; 282 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 242 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,716 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 15, 2003; 62 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Girdwood AK
- Destination: HOM Homer AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 19, 2,100 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 10°F (-12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.