Cessna 180A accident near Skwentna, Alaska, September 25, 2022
On September 25, 2022 at about 9:00 pm local time, a 1957 Cessna 180A, registered N9728B, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Skwentna, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the landing gear float due to inadequate maintenance of the floats and corrosion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 25, 2022 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Skwentna, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180A, built 1957 · all 180As on the register
- Registration
- N9728B · registry record · serial 50026
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was departing on a cross-country flight in a float-equipped airplane when the accident occurred. She had contacted a family member and stated she was departing; however, she did not arrive at the destination when expected. A search was initiated, and the airplane was located partially submerged in the departure lake. Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed that both floats were heavily corroded and separated from the fuselage. There was no evidence that either float had contacted a foreign object in the water. A portion of the hull on the right float tore open and bent back. It is likely that tear in the float resulted in the airplane impacting the water during the takeoff. Maintenance records were not available for review during the investigation. Though toxicology testing of the pilot’s tissue detected diazepam and venlafaxine and their metabolites in the pilot’s system, it is unlikely that the effects of these medications contributed to this accident.
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 takeoff defining event
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Wheel/ski/float › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Scheduled/routine maintenance › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine sea
- Flight time: 679 hours in all
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: LHD Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
- Observation at 1:56 pm from AWS, 58 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PAWS 252156Z AUTO VRB05KT 10SM BKN075 OVC090 12/02 A2985 RMK AO2 SLP111 T01220022
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
9 documents, released by the NTSB on February 28, 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 | Medical Factual | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 2 | Witness Statement | PDF, 1 page · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | Wreckage Examination | PDF, 10 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 4 | Textron Report | PDF, 10 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 5 | Airworthiness Records - Float Instillation | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 6 | Autopsy Report Memo for Record | PDF, 1 page · our copy | View Download |
| 7 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 9 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 8 | Toxicological Report | PDF, 1 page · our copy | View Download |
| 9 | Photos | PDF, 8 pages · our copy | View Download |
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.