Cessna 182M accident near Yakutat, Alaska, February 9, 2004
On February 9, 2004 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Cessna 182M, registered N71886, was substantially damaged in an accident near Yakutat, Alaska (Yakutat airport). It was a business 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 delayed use of carburetor heat, which resulted in an engine power loss during takeoff-initial climb, a forced landing, and subsequent collision with terrain. A factor contributing to the accident was the presence of carburetor icing conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 9, 2004 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Yakutat, Alaska · Yakutat · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182M · all 182Ms on the register
- Registration
- N71886 · no longer on the register · serial 18259793
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport certificated pilot stopped for fuel on a night cross-country flight. After fueling, the pilot said he drained the fuel system sumps and found no contaminants. He performed an engine run-up, and then departed. After takeoff, about 400 feet above the ground, the engine began to run rough and slowly lose power. The pilot switched fuel tanks and applied carburetor heat, but engine power continued to decline, and the airplane lost altitude. He made a 180 degree left turn toward the airport and made an emergency, off-airport landing, during which the airplane collided with a ditch. The airplane received structural damage to the left wing, fuselage, and landing gear. A postaccident examination of the airplane's engine revealed that the spark plugs were sooted, and no other mechanical malfunction was found. At the time of accident, the temperature was 37 degrees F (+3 degrees C), and the dew point was 31 degrees F (-1 degree C). FAA Advisory Circular (AC) 61-23C, states, in part: "... if the temperature is between -7 degrees C and 21 degrees, with visible moisture or high humidity, the pilot should be constantly on the alert for carburetor ice. During low or closed throttle setting, an engine is particularly susceptible to carburetor icing. AC 20-113, states, in part: "Vaporization icing may occur at temperatures from 32 degrees F to as high as 100 degrees F with a relative humidity of 50 percent or above... Since aviation weather reports normally include air temperature and dew point temperature, it is possible to relate the temperature/dew point spread to relative humidity. As the spread becomes less, relative humidity increases and becomes 100 percent when temperature and dew point are the same. In general, when the temperature/dew point spread reaches 20 degrees or less, you have a relative humidity of 50 percent or higher and are in potential icing conditions." The airplane was equipped with a carburetor air temperature gauge that was marked with a yellow arc between -15 degrees to +5 degrees celsius. The yellow arc indicates the carburetor temperature range where carburetor icing can occur.
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: airline transport pilot, 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
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 9,850 as pilot in command; 200 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 31, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAYA Yakutat AK at 10:45 pm
- Destination: PAMR Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 070° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from PAYA
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.
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.