Cessna 180 accident near Mcgrath, Alaska, March 10, 1982
On March 10, 1982 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N9464C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mcgrath, Alaska (Tatitna Airstrip 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 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
- March 10, 1982 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mcgrath, Alaska · Tatitna Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N9464C · registry record · serial 31862
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THERE WAS NO WIND ON THE GROUND.HOWEVER,IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKEOFF HE ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT WHICH WOULD NOT ALLOW HIM TO CLEAR TREES AT THE END OF THE AIRSTRIP.TAKEOFF WAS ON RUNWAY 5.WIND REPORTED BY FAREWELL,AK,LOCATED 19MI NW OF THE ACCIDENT SITE,WAS 240/15.TATITNA IS AN ABANDONED,NON-MAINTAINED STRIP IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.THERE WERE NINE UNSECURED DOGS ONBOARD.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 1,400 hours in all; 1,400 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 50 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,600 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 73 East Mcgrath AK at 3:00 pm
- Destination: MCG Mcgrath AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 1,500 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.