Cessna 180 accident near Nome, Alaska, July 4, 2016
On July 4, 2016 at about 4:30 am local time, a 1960 Cessna 180, registered N9203T, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Nome, Alaska (Nome City Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate glide path during landing, which resulted in the airplane landing short of the runway and impacting a barricade. Contributing to the accident was the airport manager's improper placement and marking of a metal barricade that encroached on the runway safety area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 2016 · about 4:30 am local time
- Place
- Nome, Alaska · Nome City Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 C, built 1960 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N9203T · registry record · serial 50703
- 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 while landing on a gravel surfaced runway in a tailwheel-equipped airplane, a downdraft was encountered, which forced the airplane to the ground prematurely. The airplane subsequently impacted an estimated 38-inch-high metal barricade that was located about 90 feet from the runway threshold resulting in substantial damage to the right wing lift strut The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airport manager stated that the metal barricade sections were erected each summer season to prevent All-Terrain Vehicles from using the runway, thus mitigating runway incursions.
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
- Landing area undershoot during landing defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Airport occurrence during landing
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 › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wall/barricade › Effect on operation
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › (general) › Airport personnel
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wall/barricade › Awareness of condition
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 537 hours in all; 266 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 484 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,119 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 23, 2015
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5QC Quartz Creek AK at 10:55 pm
- Destination: 94Z Nome AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 21, 1,950 ft by 110 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 20 knots, gusting 29
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 28,000 ft; a few clouds at 400 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 am from PAOM, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC16CA040.