Cessna 170A accident near Kasigluk, Alaska, June 28, 2009
On June 28, 2009 at about 4:00 am local time, a Cessna 170A, registered N5490C, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Kasigluk, Alaska (Kasigluk Airport). 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 student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll in a crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 28, 2009 · about 4:00 am local time
- Place
- Kasigluk, Alaska · Kasigluk Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170A · all 170As on the register
- Registration
- N5490C · registry record · serial 19524
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo student pilot reported he was landing his tailwheel equipped airplane on a gravel airstrip towards the north at the conclusion of a Title 14, CFR Part 91 local personal flight. He said he encountered a gusting crosswind from the west, and was unable to maintain directional control during the landing roll. He went off the side of the runway, and nosed over when he applied the brakes too hard. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, vertical stabilizer, and rudder. The pilot said there were no known mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident. He also indicated that he should have received more instruction prior to the flight.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Crosswind correction › Incorrect use/operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Response/compensation
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 10 hours in all; 2 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 31, 2008; 30 hours since
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor C145 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Z09 Kasigluk AK at 10:30 pm
- Destination: Z09 Kasigluk AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 3,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: ovct at 4,700 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from BET, 21 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.