Cessna 172RG accident near Anchorage, Alaska, June 5, 2008
On June 5, 2008 at about 6:20 am local time, a Cessna 172RG, registered N9752B, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Anchorage, Alaska (Merrill Field). It was an instructional 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate recovery from a bounced landing. Contributing to the accident was a crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 5, 2008 · about 6:20 am local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Merrill Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172RG · all 172RGs on the register
- Registration
- N9752B · registry record · serial 172RG1012
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot was landing on runway 25, which required a correction for a left crosswind. During touchdown, the airplane bounced and the pilot attempted to recover from the landing, but the airplane bounced a second time, and it veered sharply to the left. The airplane went off the left side of the runway and struck a parked airplane, sustaining substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. At the time of the accident, winds were reported to be from 170 degrees at 7 knots. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
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
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Runway excursion during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Contributed to outcome
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 259 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 49 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 141 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,874.6 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 1, 2008; 14.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-F1AG (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: University Of Alaska - Anchorage
The flight
- Departed from: FAI Fairbanks AK at 11:00 pm
- Destination: MRI Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 25, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 1:20 pm from MRI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 ANC08CA071.