Cessna 182P accident near Juneau, Alaska, July 24, 2011
On July 24, 2011 at about 2:45 pm local time, a Cessna 182P, registered N7304S, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Juneau, Alaska (Juneau International Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in an in-flight collision with mountainous terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's self-induced pressure to reach his destination.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 24, 2011 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Juneau, Alaska · Juneau International Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182P · all 182Ps on the register
- Registration
- N7304S · no longer on the register · serial 18265097
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and his wife were on a personal, cross-country flight between two airports separated by areas of coastal waterways and mountainous terrain. The flight was conducted under visual flight rules, but weather conditions in the area were low ceilings and reduced visibility due to rain, fog, and mist. There is no record that the pilot received a weather briefing. The pilot advised an air traffic control tower specialist at the destination airport that he was about 10 miles southwest of the airport for landing. Moments later, a faint emergency locator transmitter signal was detected. No further radio contact from the pilot was received. The next day, the wreckage was found in an area of mountainous terrain about 6 miles southeast of the airport. A postaccident examination disclosed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical anomalies with the airplane. Examination of the pilot's portable global positioning system (GPS) receiver revealed that he was apparently following a straight-line flight path from the departure airport to a secondary airport that was close to the larger, primary (destination) airport. This flight path was directly over mountainous terrain, whereas a track from the departure airport to the primary airport would have been over lower terrain. It is unknown if the pilot was aware he was flying toward an airport other than his proclaimed destination. The purpose of the flight was to take his wife to the primary airport to connect with a scheduled commercial flight that was due to depart only 43 minutes from the time the accident occurred. Given the lack of mechanical deficiencies with the airplane, the absence of any distress communications, and the pilot's self-induced pressure to get his wife to the airport to avoid missing her flight, it is likely the pilot flew into instrument meteorological conditions while tracking his portable GPS receiver to the wrong destination and subsequently collided with mountainous terrain.
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
- VFR encounter with IMC during enroute (cruise)
- Loss of visual reference during enroute (cruise)
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Psychological › Personality/attitude › Motivation/respond to pressure › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Low ceiling › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,300 hours in all; 40 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,449 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 26, 2011; 8 hours since
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAOH Hoonah AK at 9:28 am
- Destination: PAJN Juneau AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,600 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 9:35 am from PAJN, 6 miles away
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.