Cessna 180 accident near Sutton-Alpine, Alaska, August 12, 2022
On August 12, 2022 at about 11:02 pm local time, a 1956 Cessna 180, registered N6577A, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Sutton-Alpine, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 12, 2022 · about 11:02 pm local time
- Place
- Sutton-Alpine, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180, built 1956 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N6577A · registry record · serial 32474
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
About two hours into the flight, while at cruise altitude over mountainous terrain, the airplane’s engine sustained a loss of power. The pilot was unable to restore engine power and performed a forced landing to a canyon, resulting in substantial damage when the airplane impacted trees. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the fuel lines and carburetor contained about 2 oz of fuel. The fuel strainer remained undamaged and did not contain any fuel and the fuel tanks contained minimal fuel. The examination did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot stated that he departed on the flight with about 3 hours of fuel. He also stated to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors that the airplane was “low” on fuel when the loss of engine power occurred. There were signs of fuel stains on the airplane at the accident site; therefore, it is possible that fuel leaked the from tanks while the airplane sat at the accident site. However, since there was no fuel found in the undamaged fuel strainer, it is likely that the pilot did not have as much fuel onboard as he thought, and that the loss of engine power was due to fuel exhaustion.
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
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 156 in the last 90 days; 55 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 18, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,066.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 10, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motors O-470-50 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0AK1 Wasilla AK at 9:05 pm
- Destination: 0AK1 Wasilla AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from PAAQ, 10 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PAAQ 122353Z 26005KT 10SM BKN090 17/14 A2980 RMK AO2 SLP094 60000 T01720139 10183 20156 55004
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
11 documents, released by the NTSB on June 26, 2024. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Correspondence - Pilot | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Correspondence - FAA Examination Summary | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | NTSB Engine Examination Summary | PDF, 22 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Engine STC | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Maintenance Records | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 7 | GPS Track (Plot) | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Tabular GPS Data Provided by the Pilot | data file | Download |
| 9 | Carburetor Icing Probability Graph | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 10 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 11 | Photos | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.