Cessna 180J accident near King Salmon, Alaska, July 5, 2025
On July 5, 2025 at about 10:30 pm local time, a 1974 Cessna 180J, registered N52009, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near King Salmon, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 2025 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- King Salmon, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180J, built 1974 · all 180Js on the register
- Registration
- N52009 · registry record · serial 18052438
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On July 5, 2025, about 1430 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna 180J airplane, N52009, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near King Salmon, Alaska. The pilot and two passengers were seriously injured and one passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The float-equipped airplane departed from the Campbell Lake Seaplane Base (A11), Anchorage, Alaska about 1045 for a bear viewing trip at Katmai National Park and Preserve. While en route, the airplane made a stop at Port Alsworth Airport (TPO) to refuel before continuing to Katmai National Park and Preserve. The airplane departed TPO about 1340. During a postaccident interview with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), the pilot reported that, given his injuries, he was unable to remember the exact circumstances surrounding the accident. He recalled that he planned to land on Naknek Lake in front of the Brooks Camp Ranger Station. He remembered that he configured the airplane for landing by lowering the wing flaps to 20 degrees, and that the airspeed was between 80-90 knots as the airplane passed through 800 ft mean sea level (MSL). The last thing the pilot remembers is turning a right downwind so he could come over the trees and land closer to the beach to avoid a long taxi to parking. The airplane subsequently collided with a stand of trees and eventually came to rest in an area of wet, tundra-covered terrain, sustaining substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. See figure 1. Figure 1. N52009 at the accident site. (Photo courtesy of Katmai National Park and Preserve) A witness at Lake Brooks was loading passengers into his floatplane when he heard the accident airplane fly overhead. He said that the engine sounded like normal cruise power, just before he heard what sounded like the engine going to full power, which was quickly followed by silence. He added that strong gusty southeasterly wind conditions, estimated between 20 to 30 knots prevailed at the time of the accident. A detailed NTSB wreckage examination is pending after recovery.
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 in flight during landing defining event
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 9, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: TPO Port Alsworth AK at 9:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,500 ft; a few clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.83 inHg
- Observation at 1:54 pm from PAKN, 29 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PAKN 052154Z 10009KT 10SM FEW060 BKN075 OVC090 14/08 A2983 RMK AO2 SLP100 T01440083
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
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.