Cessna 180H accident near Soldotna, Alaska, August 13, 2021
On August 13, 2021 at about 11:55 pm local time, a 1968 Cessna 180H, registered N3467Y, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Soldotna, Alaska (Soldotna Airport). It was an instructional 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 flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the pilot receiving instruction, which resulted in a loss of control during the landing touchdown and a left main landing gear collapse.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 13, 2021 · about 11:55 pm local time · cases in 2021
- Place
- Soldotna, Alaska · Soldotna Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180H, built 1968 · all 180Hs on the register
- Registration
- N3467Y · registry record · serial 18051967
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that he and the pilot receiving instruction were practicing landings in the tailwheel-equipped airplane. Upon touchdown on the dry, paved runway, the airplane veered to the left and departed the runway. The airplane impacted a taxiway light, a taxiway sign, and a runway light system, causing the airplane’s left landing gear to collapse. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing, fuselage, and empennage. A witness reported that the right wingtip dragged on the ground as the airplane veered to the left. A postaccident examination of the runway surface revealed ground scars and impact signatures on the runway surface that were consistent with simultaneous contact of the right-wing tip and right main landing gear tire on initial touchdown. Examination of the airplane found no preaccident mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operations. Given the physical evidence found on the runway surface and the damage sustained to the airplane’s right wingtip, which indicate an unstable landing that was not corrected by the instructor before touchdown, it is likely that the flight instructor’s inadequate supervision resulted in the pilot receiving instruction’s loss of control while landing on the paved runway.
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 (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Instructor/check pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Runway/taxi/approach light › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Contributed to outcome
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,234 hours in all; 1,230 in this make and model; 61 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 10,150 as pilot in command; 2,765 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 4, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 272 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 238 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 1, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,033 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 7, 2021; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470 SERIES (piston); 3,033 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AK00 Anchor Point AK at 10:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 2,917 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.77 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from PASX
Weather report (METAR): METAR PASX 132356Z AUTO 22005KT 10SM FEW075 17/09 A2977 RMK AO2 SLP092 T01720094 10172 20122 58005
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 5 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photo 1 – Photo of left main landing gear “gearbox” assembly and landing gear leg. (Photo
Photo 2 – Side view photo of left main landing gear “gearbox” and landing gear leg. (Photo
Photo 3 – Photo of skid marks on runway, looking east. (Photo
Photo 4 – Photo of accident airplane, left side, after recovery. (Photo
Photo 5 – Photo of right wing, which depicts runway abrasion damage to outboard portion of wing tip fairing. (PhotoThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on August 23, 2023. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | FAA Inspector's Statement and Wreckage Exam Documentation | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Inspector's Ground Track Documentation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photo Array | PDF, 5 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N3467Y the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N3467Y on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 180 Skywagon 2,604 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,682 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470 SERIES 12,780 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Soldotna Airport · nearest airport
- Anchor River Airpark · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Alaska 5,932 since 1982 · 825 in the last ten years
- Alaska 9,142 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N3467Y 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ANC21LA074.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.