Cessna 170 accident near Chicken, Alaska, June 8, 1982
On June 8, 1982 at about 1:00 am local time, a Cessna 170, registered N4593C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chicken, Alaska (Clair Strip 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
- June 8, 1982 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Chicken, Alaska · Clair Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170 · all 170s on the register
- Registration
- N4593C · no longer on the register · serial 170510
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT REPORTED THAT HE MADE A PLEASURE/PERSONAL FLIGHT TO AN OLD HUNTING STRIP. HE REPORTED THAT IT WAS A ROUGH, GRAVEL STRIP THAT WAS LOCATED ON SLOPING TERRAIN. REPORTEDLY AFTER LANDING, HE WAITED FOR A RAIN STORM WITH HEAVY WIND TO PASS BEFORE STARTING HIS DEPARTURE. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING TAKEOFF, HE ENCOUNTERED A GUST OF WIND FROM HIS RIGHT REAR AREA THAT TURNED THE AIRCRAFT. THE PLANE STRUCK SMALL TREES THAT WERE LOCATED CLOSE TO THE STRIP. AN INSPECTION OF THE STUDENT'S LOGBOOK REVEALED THAT HE WAS NOT PROPERLY ENDORSED TO LAND ATTHIS AIRPORT. THE ELEVATION OF THE STRIP WAS ABOUT 3100 FT. REPORTEDLY, THE WIND WAS GUSTING TO 20 KTS.
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: student
- Flight time: 80 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-145 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Delta Junction AK at 7:00 pm
- Destination: Delta Junction AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 1,500 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 122°F (50°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 31.00 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.