Cessna 180 accident near Cooper Landing, Alaska, June 24, 2010
On June 24, 2010 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N7715A, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Cooper Landing, Alaska. 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 failure to maintain airspeed during takeoff, resulting in an uncontrolled descent and collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 24, 2010 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Cooper Landing, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N7715A · registry record · serial 32612
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport pilot was departing from an off airport site on a flight to his home airport under Title 14, CFR Part 91. The pilot reported that just after liftoff, a wind shift caused the tailwheel-equipped airplane to descend uncontrolled, striking its tail and left main landing gear on the ground. He said the airplane became airborne again, and he flew it back to the airport. He reported that once airborne, he saw that the left main landing gear was damaged by the impact with the ground. An examination of the airplane showed substantial damage to the left horizontal stabilizer and the left main landing gear fuselage attachment.
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 in flight during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Sudden wind shift › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,641 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 5,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 10, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,005 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 10, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Cooper Landing AK at 6:30 pm
- Destination: Z41 Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.