Cessna 172D accident near Buckland, Alaska, October 8, 2012
On October 8, 2012 at about 2:30 am local time, a Cessna 172D, registered N8808, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Buckland, 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 loss of airplane control during takeoff from an off-airport site, which resulted in a runway excursion 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
- October 8, 2012 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Buckland, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172D · all 172Ds on the register
- Registration
- N8808 · no longer on the register · serial 17249569
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was departing from a soft, off-airport site, and just after takeoff, the airplane settled back to the runway. During the touchdown, the left wheel hit a soft spot, and the airplane veered to the left and into a creek bed where it collided with terrain. Upon exiting the airplane, the pilot noticed flames in the engine compartment. Unable to extinguish the flames, the airplane was consumed by a postcrash fire. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during takeoff
- Loss of control in flight during initial climb defining event
- Miscellaneous/other during uncontrolled descent
- Runway excursion during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
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 › Soft › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 668 hours in all; 668 in this make and model; 63 in the last 90 days; 38 in the last 30 days; 623 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 15, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,940 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 5, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 2,280 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Buckland AK at 9:30 pm
- Destination: Buckland AK
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,500 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.