Cessna 182 accident near King Salmon, Alaska, September 21, 2020
On September 21, 2020 at about 10:05 pm local time, a 1960 Cessna 182, registered N182KT, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near King Salmon, Alaska (King Salmon 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 fatigue fracture failure of the left main landing gear U-bolt during landing, which resulted in the collapse and separation of the left main landing gear spring.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 21, 2020 · about 10:05 pm local time
- Place
- King Salmon, Alaska · King Salmon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 C, built 1960 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N182KT · registry record · serial 52854
- 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, after a normal touchdown in crosswind conditions, the left main landing gear (MLG) began to shake and rattle. The shaking continued and became more severe as the airplane continued its landing roll, and the airplane subsequently began to veer to the left and exited the runway. As the airplane came to rest, the MLG spring separated from the fuselage, resulting in substantial damage to the left horizontal stabilizer and elevator. A postaccident examination of the left MLG spring attach hardware fractured surfaces revealed that the left MLG U-bolt failed due to fatigue cracking and the MLG support bolt fractured within the shank due to shear loads.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
- Part(s) separation from AC during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Fuselage › Gear attach fittings (on fus) › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 391.4 hours in all; 327.1 in this make and model; 117.2 in the last 90 days; 45.5 in the last 30 days; 328.3 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 25, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,693 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 5, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 2,348 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 SERIES (piston); 1,612 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: King Salmon AK
- Runway 12, 8,901 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.27 inHg
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.
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 ANC20LA098.