Cessna 180 accident near Kenai, Alaska, August 5, 2020
On August 5, 2020 at about 9:30 pm local time, a 1971 Cessna 180, registered N9712G, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Kenai, Alaska (Kenai Muni airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper decision to place a passenger and baggage in the rear baggage compartment, which resulted in an aft center of gravity, an increase in directional instability, and affected the pilot’s ability to maintain directional control, resulting in a ground loop during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 5, 2020 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Kenai, Alaska · Kenai Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 H, built 1971 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N9712G · registry record · serial 18052212
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport pilot reported that during the landing roll, the airplane immediately veered right as the tailwheel contacted the runway. The pilot applied full left rudder to no avail, and the airplane ground looped to the right. The left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing and horizontal stabilizer were substantially damaged. The pilot stated that the right brake may have dragged and that the tailwheel may have tilted over during the touchdown. Postaccident examination of the runway marks, brakes, and tailwheel revealed no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The wind was reported as 30° right of runway heading at 4 knots. According to first responders, three passengers were sitting in the airplane’s front two rows, and one passenger and multiple bags were in the rear baggage compartment, which was not equipped with a seat. This likely resulted in the airplane having an aft center of gravity and increased the airplane’s tendency to weathervane into the wind and the airplane’s directional instability.
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
- Aircraft loading event during prior to flight
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Equipment/furnishings › Flight compartment equipment › Not installed/available
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › CG/weight distribution › Capability exceeded
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,500 hours in all; 7,500 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 9,500 as pilot in command; 100 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,386 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 26, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-50 (piston); 1,199 hours total
- Operator: Minta Inc
The flight
- Departed from: PAPN Pilot Point AK at 7:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 02R, 7,855 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.67 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from PAEN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 ANC20LA077.