Cessna 172I accident near Mccarthy, Alaska, February 10, 2012
On February 10, 2012 at about 8:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172I, registered N46279, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Mccarthy, Alaska (Rowland Strip - Private 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 pilot lost directional control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 10, 2012 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Mccarthy, Alaska · Rowland Strip - Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172I · all 172Is on the register
- Registration
- N46279 · no longer on the register · serial 17257152
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he lost directional control of the airplane while landing on a snow-covered runway and that the airplane hit a snow berm and nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing.
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 (landing roll) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › Snow/slush/ice covered › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 220 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 180 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 4, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,005 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 17, 2011
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NA Mccarthy AK at 7:30 pm
- Destination: NA Mccarthy AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N46279 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.